Seeing Beyond the Light
by Wingsong
Summary: How can one girl stand across the fates of seven... er... eight seishi? *New Chapter!!!*
1. The Summoning

Disclaimer: I am an avid fanfiction reader; so if you see something in here that might be from another author, tell me in a review so that I may properly credit them! So before you say, Fushigi yuugi and characters etc. does not belong to me. I am not Yuu, because I am me!  
  
Warnings: Ummmm, not much here. . . pain. . . ummm. . . OH YEAH! A really old and ugly. . . *Wing-chan gets hit on the head with the Anime Mallet of Doom* ahem! The wise and respected Tai Itsukun!  
  
*...* - God speak  
//...// - Thought speak  
"..." - Human speak  
Seeing Beyond the Light  
  
Prologue: the Summoning  
  
When Tai Itsukun created the Universe of the Four Gods, she saw that her creation would need special guidance. Not feeling that she could overlook the entire world by herself, she divided it up amongst her children, Genbu, Byakko, Suzaku, and Seiryu. To each she gave control over an element and an emotion. Each also represented, respectively, Age, Youth, Woman, and Man. The primary emotion was not the only thing they felt, but it was predominant. Seiryu, Kami of Anger, soon grew hateful towards his brothers and sent the armies of his country to attack the others. At these times mikos from another world were called on to help protect the countries. The mikos were protected by the seven seishi, and the seishi themselves were protected by the Guardians. This arrangement worked for a time, but the three other Gods feared the time when Seiryu was able to call upon his own Miko. How could the Guardian and the other Gods cope with the potential for destruction that this would cause?  
  
The Guardian for the seishi, the seishi for the Miko, the Miko for the God.  
  
And so our story begins.  
  
***  
  
*Kizuka.*  
  
She looked up, startled at the soft sound of her name being called. Her sensei, immediately seeing that something was different, halted his advance.  
  
"Ne, Kizu-chan, what is it?"  
  
"Nothing, sensei, I just thought I heard my-"  
  
*Miharu Kizuka.*  
  
The sound, distinctly feminine and ancient, was louder, and she turned around, trying to find the source. Her long black braid swung within easy reach of the fighting instructor, her father, but he was too distracted by his daughter's behavior to take advantage of her opening.  
  
*Miharu Kizuka, do you hear me?*  
  
"Hai, demo, where are you?"  
  
*My child*, and she could now hear the laughter in her head, *You cannot see me because I am not there. I am the Summoner, the one that calls on members of you family when the time is right.*  
  
"Are the seishi in danger, then?"  
  
*Possibly, my child* The voice spoke slowly with the weight of experience, *I am calling you to your full powers. Do you accept the responsibility that comes with the power?*  
  
"Hai." There was no hesitation; she felt like she had been born for just this moment.  
  
*Then swear the oath*  
  
Kizuka opened her eyes, and for the first time she could feel the weight of her family's destiny upon her shoulders. The sun was just beginning to set in the West. The reds, golds, blues, and purples created such a brilliant display in the sky that her breath caught and she stood there in the training circle, struck dumb by the beauty around her. Taking it all in, she turned again to face her instructor.  
  
"Toosan-"  
  
*Swear*  
  
Miharu-san looked at his youngest daughter. While the girl was extremely talented, though not the best, in the family martial arts, and had been training from a very young age, he could tell that lately her heart had not been entirely on the training. It was almost as if she had been waiting for someone to come or something to happen. He sighed. It seemed like the time had come yet again for this family's destiny to be fulfilled.  
  
A golden light began to surround Kizuka as she closed her eyes and spoke the words that every member of the Miharu family had been taught from birth. Her voice had deepened and hardened, seeming much older than her 19 years.  
  
"By Genbu, ancient protector of the North, Kami of Earth and Hope; by Byakko, youthful protector of the West, Kami of Wind and Joy; by Seiryu, masculine protector of the East, Kami of Water and Anger; by Suzaku, feminine protector of the South, Kami of Fire and Love; I swear that the power granted to me this day will not be used for coercion or manipulation, I sear this in the name of Tai Itsukun, Creator of all. The Guardian for the Seishi, the Seishi for the Miko, the Miko for the God; So Mote It Be."  
  
At her last words the golden light, which had grown steadily brighter and brighter, seemed to fuse into her body. Her eyes flew open and she bit back a scream as she felt the power pierce through her skin. Miharu-san cursed and ran to his daughter, catching her as she fell.  
  
Kizuka had never felt such pain. It was worse than that time when she was eight and fell off the roof while sparing with her brother. She had broken three ribs and her leg in that fall, but here she felt as if every bone in her body, every muscle and organ was on fire. The pain continued, compounding and multiplying on itself with every painstaking breath. She bit her lip until she could taste blood, struggling for control.  
  
//I will not scream. I will not scream. To scream is to lose control and a martial artist is always in control but the pain Oh Gods the pain! NO! I will remain in control I am in control of me IamIamIAM! I will not disappoint my father by losing control I WON'T I will not give in to the pain pain Oh Gods pain heat hot hot HOT! Pain! Noooooo.....//  
  
The last thing she heard as she slammed into unconsciousness was a primordial shriek of pain and anguish.  
  
***  
  
Miharu Akane looked up from her cooking as the scream echoed throughout the small valley where her husband's family had lived for generations. She dropped the vegetables she was cutting and ran outside, her eldest daughter Rei at her heels.  
  
"Toji! Shinji!"  
  
Her two eldest came running from the barn.  
  
"Did you hear that?" "It came from the training ground!"  
  
The two sentences were spoken simultaneously as the group turned as one and ran in the direction of the training circle. The sight that greeted Akane's eyes was enough to stop her heart. Her husband sat cradling her youngest daughter in his arms.  
  
"Oh Gods! What happened?" She ran and knelt by Kizuka, breathing a sigh of relief when she felt the pulse at her child's neck.  
  
"She has been chosen."  
  
"Nani!?"   
  
"She's only a child!"-Akane  
  
"She's the youngest!"-Rei  
  
"She's not even the best!"-Shinji  
  
"She's only a girl"-Toji, which earned him a swift slap from Rei.  
  
"All of you know that age or gender has nothing to do with the choosing. That is why we have trained all of you since you were five. A Miharu always has to be ready for the call. She was the one that the Gods chose for this task, and therefore she is the most qualified. It may be that this time excellence in the arts is not what is required. There are other qualifications of a Guardian than fighting ability or experience." Miharu-san spoke softly to ease the tension in the circle.  
  
"But she will die! There has never been a Guardian that did not die in the performance of their duty! It's not fair to let one so young stand across the fates of all seven seishi!" Akane exclaimed, terrified for her daughter.  
  
"Dear, you knew the danger when we married. I never hid from you that this might happen to one of our children. It is both the blessing and the curse of our family." Miharu-san spoke gently to comfort his wife, as he could not take her in his arms.  
  
"So speaks the voice of wisdom."  
  
Everyone except Miharu-san and his unconscious daughter spun and dropped into defensive positions at the unknown voice. It took nearly all of the self-discipline from years of training for the defending members not to recoil in fright at the hideous figure that was...floating?...towards them. The ...er... wizened old woman was a little startling to say the least.  
  
"Your daughter is in a unique situation. Something went wrong in sending the Suzaku no Miko back to her world to recover from her illness. The barrier between the worlds was weakened and another girl was brought through. Seiryu has already claimed this second girl as His Miko. Never before have two Mikos appeared at once. Special training for the Guardian is needed." Tai Itsukun was used to the reactions of others, and decided that now was not the time to bring out the hammer.  
  
"What do you mean?" Rei spoke her parent's thoughts.  
  
Tai Itsukun sighed. Had she been too obscure before? "I will take the girl to Mt. Daikyokuzan for accelerated training. Your daughter has very little time, both to learn to use her powers and to learn to hide them to protect herself. She must choose a side and be able to protect them from threats from the opposing side."  
  
At this point Kizuka herself stirred and opened her eyes. Miharu-san gasped. His daughter's light blues eyes no longer stared back at him; they were replaced by golden irises.  
  
"Toosan? What happened? Stop shining a light in my eyes! I can't see!" Kizuka's voice became more and more panicked.  
  
"Shhh, my child," Tai Itsukun's voice soothed the frightened girl as she floated between the family members to the new Guardian's side. "Calm down. You are now able to physically see chi, and therefore are unable to see as other mortals do."  
  
Kizuka turned her gaze towards the voice she recognized from the summoning and gasped. A being made entirely of light floated right next to the dimmer light forms that she now recognized as her family. The brilliance faded a bit, or perhaps she got used to it, and she could recognize different colors within the core, constantly sifting as thoughts and emotions filtered across the Creator's soul.  
  
"Ohhh... you're so beautiful!" She continued to stare in awe at Tai Itsukun.  
  
The old woman smiled at the new Guardian, surrounded now by the twitching bodies of the Miharu family, as they had face faulted at the youngest member's pronouncement.  
  
"I knew I would like this girl."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Author's note: There will be seishi in the next chapter, I promise! Wingsong is veeerry tired from exams right now, so what you see is what you get. Ummm, oh by the way, there is a little button down there that says review! Please review, even with flames, I love flames!  
  
Translators note: Miharu-watcher, kami-spirit or god, sensei-teacher, demo-but, Toosan-daddy, nani-what  
  
WS 


	2. Introductions

Disclaimer: If you want you can sue, I own pecans (don't have enough money for peanuts)  
  
Warnings: Advisor bashing...and a bored Chichiri...OH NOOOO!  
  
*...* - God speak  
//...// - Thought speak  
"..." - Human speak  
Seeing Beyond the Light  
  
Chapter 1: Introductions  
  
//DA...//  
  
Chichiri was bored. He did not believe he had ever been so bored in his life. As he sat there listening to a random advisor prattle on, he thought about his original plan. //SURE, Hotohori-sama, I'd be GLAD to stand in for you while you find the rest of the seishi. No problem! You just go traipsing off with the woman of your dreams and I'll just sit here while your advisor's talk at me//  
  
He had started out by paying attention to the advisors, having the mistaken impression that they would say something of importance. He did not want to accidentally agree to sign the kingdom over to Hokkan, or something like that. However, he soon discovered that the advisors said nothing of real importance, and most of what they said concerned the Emperor's marriage. It was all they talked of! The minister of defense suggested a marriage to a Kutou princess. The minister of economics suggested it would be a boost to the economy to have a secure heir. The minister of the interior had picked his favorite to account for unhappy nobles within the kingdom. The minister of...the list went on and on. It would be funny except that he had to sit through all of it.  
  
And that wasn't even the worst. Through it all he had to remain calm and serene. After all, these advisors thought they were talking to Emperor Saihitei, not Suzaku Shichiseishi Chichiri. The urge to bounce around, to go chibi, and to say "no da" was almost overwhelming! He sometimes got through the advisor's speeches by imagining their faces if he started bouncing off the walls.  
  
"Heika-sama?"   
  
He quickly straightened up at the desk as a new advisor entered the room. "Hai?"  
  
"Sir, I have the report from the head chamberlain on the state of the palace. If you would allow me to read it..."  
  
Chichiri stopped listening at that point. He did not have any real power to change anything should he even want to, and the report was written out so Hotohori-sama could read it later. Chichiri had become an expert at pretending to listen, smiling and nodding at the appropriate places. He started to daydream, wondering when the others would return, when something caught his attention.  
  
"Gomen...what was that last part again?" He asked the question a little too sharply, so the advisor floundered for a bit first.  
  
"Ano... there has been another request for an audience by one of the courtesans. This time she states that it has something to do with the Suzaku seishi. Heika, this is the same girl who has been requesting an audience for the two months she has been here. The addition of the Seishi is probably an attempt to get your attention..."  
  
"It has worked. We will see her this afternoon."  
  
"Heika-sama, if she is just trying to get your attention..."  
  
"And what if she is not? We cannot afford to ignore any information about the seishi. Arrange for a meeting this afternoon."  
  
"Hai."  
  
In truth, Chichiri did not think that the girl would have any information. She probably just wanted an opportunity to flirt with the admittedly handsome emperor. It probably would not hurt to be seen with the girl; given the advisor's reaction, the girl was probably not a favorite. This audience would increase her status and placate some of the advisors while not increasing the hopes of one faction or another. Besides, even listing to the silly prattlings of a harem girl would be preferable to an afternoon of listening to more advisors.  
  
***  
  
//GAH...//  
  
Kizuka was bored. She did not believe she had ever been so bored in her life. As she sat there listening to a random attendant prattle on, she thought about her original plan. //SURE, Tai Itsukun, I'd be GLAD to join the harem. I'm sure that this would be the best way for me to run into Hotohori without undue notice. It's a great plan! Except for the little fact you forgot to mention. HOTOHORI DOES NOT COME TO THE HAREM!!!//  
  
*No need to shout, child* Tai Itsukun's voice was, as always, completely unruffled.  
  
//Gomen, but how am I supposed to protect the seishi if I can't even MEET them!?!// She was beginning to get a little impatient.  
  
Silence was her only answer. She suppressed a sigh as she saw Houki-san glide up to her. Houki-san was practically the only one in the harem to pay any attention to her. Being the newest in the harem, she was currently low on the totem pole of harem politics. Besides which, she had become something of a local legend with her constant appeals to see the emperor. Houki-san was either very high in the order or did not care, but she talked to Kizuka. Personally, Kizuka thought that Houki-san was the best candidate for empress. After a little over a month of intense training with Tai Itsukun, she could differentiate between the colors on someone's chi, and knew the meanings.   
  
Houki had a deep well of the fiery orange of determination, fed by the dark red of love. Over all of this was a veneer of polite manners and good taste, shimmering and clear like crystal. Kizuka could see that the outer layer could not be easily bent or cracked to disturb the lower, purer layers. Most of the other girls in the harem either did not have any deeper layers, or they were the sickly green of jealousy and spite.  
  
*Of course Houki-san would make a good empress. I chose her myself!* The new voice was low and feminine, but more given to expression than Tai Itsukun's.  
  
//Thank you, Suzaku-seikun. I already knew that. You chose well. She has the strength of character to get her through the trials in her path.// She wasn't sure, but she was fairly certain that the ability to mind speak with the gods was not something that usually came with TrueSight. Apparently she had made enough of an impression on Tai Itsukun to be granted this boon. In any case, it was a comfort to know that she would have their guidance for the task ahead.  
  
*Nah, we just like talkin' to ya!* a voice piped in cheerfully.  
  
//Shut up, Byakko!//  
  
*Just tryin' to cheer you up. You were getting' sad.* The youthful God's voice was hurt.  
  
//I know, but I don't think Houki-san would appreciate or understand if I suddenly burst out laughing for no reason.// She comforted Him, and as the God's laughter faded in her mind, she noticed that all conversation had stopped. One of the eunuchs had come in. Kizuka stood up.  
  
"Excuse me a moment," she said dryly as Houki glanced up, "but it's time to make my daily plea."  
  
Houki hid her mouth behind her sleeves, but her eyes smiled as she spoke, "I don't know why you continue to do this, Kizu-chan. Your pleas will never get to Heika-sama's ears. You really should..."  
  
"Miharu Kizuka"  
  
She froze as she heard her name called. She turned around slowly, dimly aware of all the others in the sitting room sinking into a kneeling bow. Unnoticed by her or Houki a messenger had approached behind the eunuch.  
  
She made her way across the room, stumbling once on the impossible shoes they made her wear. She heard a titter flow through the room as she fell awkwardly into the painful bow before the messenger.  
  
The messenger had looked disdainfully on her before she knelt, but now looked up, carefully not looking at any of the women, who were, after all, the emperor's property. "You are Miharu Kizuka?"  
  
"Hai." Kizuka winced as the titter went around again. She had managed to screw up court manners again. //Huh. I would like to see any of these beauties try to perform the simplest kata.// "What is needed from this unworthy one?"  
  
"You are to have tea with the emperor this afternoon in the garden, where you will tell him whatever it is you are so instant on saying." She could feel the disapproval rolling off of him in waves.  
  
There was dead silence as the messenger left, then the room exploded with excited chatter. Kizuka remained where she was, hardly daring to believe that her constant pleas had finally made it through to someone.  
  
Houki finally came up from behind and pulled her away, laughing and chattering about something that Kizuka could not follow. Finally! After two months of constant begging she could meet the emperor. She wasn't sure how she was going to make her case to an emperor of whom she knew very little. She had heard that he was very full of himself, and expected him to talk mainly about himself. Still, even listening to the narcissistic ramblings of an emperor would be preferable to an afternoon of listening to more Harem girls.  
  
***  
  
Kizuka waited impatiently by the tea set in the garden. An attendant had led her here, and then had disappeared back into the harem. The emperor had not made his grand entrance yet, and she had taken the time to familiarize herself with her surroundings and recall what she had seen of him when she was presented.  
  
The emperor's chi grew out of a deep blue of loyalty and the golden yellow of obligation and responsibility. Wrapped throughout was the bright red that marked any of Suzaku's own. He also had the thickest crystalline layer she had ever seen. She felt that very few people had ever been allowed to really see the emperor's true feelings.  
  
She glanced up discretely as the emperor came in, followed by several attendants. She frowned. This man was not the emperor! He was a marked by the red band of Suzaku seishi, but she could see the enchantment that was an illusion of the emperor. The spell was good; she could tell that the attendants did not suspect a thing. She stared openly at the pretender now, trying to divine who he was. There was a blue-green of sadness and guilt. That base layer was then covered with a bright, sparkling yellow of false cheer. All of this combined with the enchantment made it very confusing to watch, but she was able to identify him from Tai Itsukun's descriptions of the seishi.  
  
She caught the attendant's disapproval and quickly glanced down. As she poured the tea, she rapidly ran through her options. As the attendants did not suspect, she did not want to expose the secret. However, she did need to talk to the emperor about her position. The Guardians were of necessity a secret group. If enemies of the seishi knew about the Guardians, the advantage of surprise was given up. The one Guardian could be easily taken out and the rest of the seishi dealt with. Even with the utmost secrecy the previous Guardians had died. She sipped her tea absently as an idea came to her. It hinged on getting the attendants to leave, but she thought she could manage it.  
  
Chichiri looked across at the girl as he politely sipped his tea. This was certainly different than what he was expecting. The girl had hardly spoken at all, and appeared to be deep in thought. She was very pretty, with deep amber or golden eyes that made a striking contrast to her pitch-black hair. However, he was beginning to get a little impatient to hear her message. He finally put down his tea.  
  
"What is it you wanted to discuss with us?" His voice showed a little of his impatience.   
  
Kizuka glanced up, a little startled at the rudeness of the question. This, more than anything else, proved that this was not the emperor. She glanced at the attendants to see if they had caught the slip. They appeared to be more interested in waiting for her to slip up than looking for mistakes in the emperor.  
  
"What I have to say needs to be said alone." She said softly, bowing to the ground.  
  
At her statement the attendants straightened up, highly affronted by her suggestion. But the pretender gave a little smile and dismissed them. Kizuka waited until she could no longer feel them within hearing range. When she felt sure that it was safe, she looked directly at the pretender and smiled.  
  
"It is nice to meet you, Chichiri, but I really wanted to speak to Hotohori."  
Authors note: Aren't I evil? I have the next chapter written, but not typed. Coming soon! 


	3. Many Meetings

Disclaimer: Some great people own Fushigi yuugi, but I am not one of them. I am not great; I suck.  
  
Warnings: More advisor bashing...ummm...chibi-ness...some bad language from our favorite bandit...spoilers for the first summoning ceremony! Do not read unless you have seen till end of season 1!  
  
//...// - Thought speak  
"..." - Human speak  
*...* - Godspeak  
Seeing Beyond the Light  
  
Chapter 2: Many Meetings  
  
"Nani?!?"  
  
A solid week of training in schooling his reactions was lost as Chichiri finally went chibi. //How did she...? What gave it...? HOW?!// He paused for a bit to gather his thoughts.  
  
Kizuka burst out laughing as she saw the effect of her announcement. She had never seen someone go chibi before! His inner aura and deeper emotions remained the same size, though a little more agitated now, but the outer layer and the enchantment shrunk to about three feet! The whole effect was of an adult trying to fit into a three-year-old's clothing. She quickly calmed down as she saw the black of worry and fear start to darken the other colors of his chi.  
  
"Ano...How did you know about me?" Chichiri was getting desperate.  
  
Kizuka gave a smile that she hoped was reassuring and bowed. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Miharu Kizuka, and I have been given the gift of TrueSight. The reason I could tell is because I can see chi. I really would like to see the emperor."  
  
"He is not here, no da. He went with the Suzaku no Miko to find the rest of the Seishi." Chichiri relaxed a bit at discovering that his disguise was not in doubt.  
  
"Ohh..." //Tai Itsukun! Why didn't you tell me?// Kizuka sent the thought with some annoyance at the Creator  
  
*You did not ask* She could detect a bit of amusement in the Creator's voice, but as always she was difficult to read.  
  
//You gods delight in watching me flounder, don't you?// Her mental voice was wry.  
  
*Of course. It does get boring up here sometimes.* The new, deep, male voice was slightly bitter.  
  
//Shut up, Seiryuu. Just because you are the Kami of Anger does not mean you can take it out on me.// She had to be firm with the Kami of Anger, as she was currently working for Suzaku.  
  
Chichiri watched as Kizuka seemed to argue with herself for a brief moment before she spoke again.  
  
"This was not how I planned it, but since some people," she glanced up at this, "neglected to mention a few facts, time has been wasted. Anyway, whenever a new Miko is summoned to the world of the Four Gods, a member of the Miharu family is chosen as a Guardian for the seishi, to protect them as they protect the Miko. It is a dangerous job and one not taken lightly. Ideally, the Guardians should not be needed, but that has never been the case. The first, Miharu Gensei, Guardian of the Genbu Seishi, died while trying to protect the seishi during the summoning ceremony. He was successful, and held beck the entire Kutou army long enough for the ceremony to take place, though he died from his wounds shortly thereafter. The second, Miharu Bougu, died while protecting the seventh seishi, Subaru, long enough for the miko and the others to find them, and the ceremony was again saved. I was chosen as the third Guardian and given the birthright of all Guardians, TrueSight, which allows me to see and manipulate chi." She finished her explanation and waited for the reaction.  
  
"Why should I believe you? That you are not a spy from Kutou?" Chichiri watched as the girl thought for a minute, and wondered what she would say. She looked confused for a second, then spoke hesitantly.  
  
"Kouran and Hikou?" Kizuka spoke hesitantly, unsure how these names would help.  
  
The reaction was immediate. Kizuka watched the spell drop and the mask come off. "What do you know of those names?"  
  
Kizuka quavered a bit, as his voice had dropped nearly an octave. "I-I know nothing about them. They are just names that Tai Itsukun told me to say, along with telling you that Nyan-Nyan misses you."  
  
Chichiri relaxed enough to smile at the mention of the Nyan-Nyans. He put the mask back on. The girl was telling the truth, and although he resented Tai Itsukun for giving away the names, he could see that it was one of the few ways that he would trust her.  
  
"Relax, I believe you," he smiled with her. "Demo...where do we go from here, na no da?"  
  
"I have had a lot of time to think about that in the past few months, believe me. The important thing is that I remain undiscovered for as long as possible. So, when I thought I would meet with Hotohori, I thought we could invent some fault with me, such as too much pride, which could be solved by service as a maid to the seishi. Could that work?" She looked at him hopefully.  
  
"Hai," Chichiri said thoughtfully.  
  
Kizuka felt a tickling at the edge of her senses. The attendants were returning. "Well then," she said with a grin, standing up, "Let's get started. Heika-sama, I find life here to be stifling, dull, and overall boring. The other girls are vicious, the attendants slothful, and the atmosphere monotonous. I deserve better treatment than the common whores who I am forced to reside with." //Gomen, Houki-san.// "Furthermore..."  
  
"Miharu-san!" The newest voice was completely astounded.  
  
Thankfully, by the time the attendants and an advisor burst into the clearing, Chichiri had understood her intent and assumed the aspect of the emperor. The looks on the attendants' faces were hilarious. They were staring in absolute shock at Kizuka. He turned to the advisor, who was the one who had spoken.  
  
"This presumptuous girl needs to learn her place. We have never been so offended in our life." He looked severly at Kizuka.  
  
"Of course. We shall have her placed in the dungeon immediately."  
  
"No," he said musingly, "I have a better idea. Have her serve as my maid until her behavior improves."  
  
The advisor bowed. "Your grace is very merciful."  
  
* **  
  
The next two weeks were at the same time the most pleasant and the most boring of Kizuka's life. As a courtesan undergoing punishment, no one would talk to her, and she technically could not start a conversation with anyone. This was a technicality that she cheerfully ignored, partially because she never wanted to be completely absolved from her crime. She was never rude enough to warrant more punishment, but she cheerfully greeted attendants, servants, and advisors alike. Half the fun and the other reason she did it was to see the reactions in the other's chi. The colors would get very confused as they would try to decide whether to respond to the polite greeting or not.  
  
The only time she could really be herself was when she was alone with Chichiri. They broke up the monotony of the meetings by making fun of the advisors. She loved not having to watch her behavior, and she gladly sat through the many court meetings. The meetings went on and on about absolutely nothing. After the first week she admired Hotohori all the more for sitting through it; after the second, she questioned his sanity.  
  
"Kizuka? Is anyone around, no da?"  
  
"Iie."  
  
"Ahhh," and Chichiri relaxed into chibi-ness, "I'm so bored! I'll fall asleep!"  
  
Kizuka giggled a bit, "You might try some acrobatics to keep the blood flowing."  
  
Chichiri took her advice. Still chibi, he started doing headstands on the throne, listening to her laughter. He was grateful for Kizuka's presence, not only as a look out for the advisors, but for her humor and wit in brightening his days. He yawned, "I wonder when they'll get back, no da?"  
  
Kizuka was in hysterics at this point, so she can perhaps be forgiven for what happened next.  
  
"Heika-sama?!"  
  
Chichiri snapped back upright and into proper form. He glared at Kizuka for failing to warn him, but then suppressed a grin at her condition. She had obviously not been paying attention, and now was in paroxysms of stifled laughter, her sleeves over her mouth to hold it in, and her eyes wide and streaming. He sighed and glanced at the attendant who had interrupted him.   
  
"What do you require?"  
  
The functionary had recovered from his shock at the state the emperor was in, and quickly gathered his wits to deliver the message he had been sent with. "Heika-sama, the guards wish me to tell you that the seishi have been spotted outside the city, and--"  
  
At this news Chichiri disappeared in search of his friends. The attendant was left staring at an empty throne in puzzlement. Kizuka managed to stifle her laughter enough to stand and bow to the attendant.  
  
"Ano... I can go and find him, if you wish." There was still a slight quaver in her voice as she spoke, but the messenger did not seem to notice.  
  
"Hai, hai." He said distractedly.  
  
Kizuka escaped from the room before he could notice that he had spoken to One Under Punishment. She laughed to herself again at Chichiri's behavior. //Perhaps he should have been you seishi, Byakko.//  
  
*No, he is too scary! I don't wanna have him be on my side!*  
  
//You're probably right. He is not very joyful.//  
  
She was traveling along a hallway, following the pull of Chichiri's chi when she heard a commotion ahead in the courtyard. It sounded like the seishi had arrived. She wondered how she could handle all at once. Gathering her courage, she stepped forward to a general shout.  
  
"You're the EMPEROR?!"  
  
Kizuka drew in a deep breath, "Looks like you forgot to mention something, Hotohori. And Chichiri, you probably shouldn't run out on his majesty's messengers like that. You really confused the poor man."  
  
"Gomen, no da." Chichiri chuckled a bit at her entrance. He had not yet had a chance to tell anyone about her, and he wondered what she would do.  
  
Kizuka drew herself up. //Here goes nothing// "Konichiwa, minna. I am Miharu Kizuka, a Guardian of the seishi. It is nice to meet you..." she turned to each.  
  
//Deep blue, loyalty; golden yellow, obligation// "Hotohori"  
  
//No seishi stripe; sparkling yellow of cheer, dark blue of a hidden sadness.// "Miaka"  
  
//Dark purple-blue, ancient sadness bordering on obsessive-ness; covered by sparkling yellow and red, love. He also had a childlike chi trailing after him// "Nuriko" //And his sister, I wonder if he knows.//  
  
"Chichiri" //That one was easy//  
  
//Light orange of brashness, must be...// "Tasuki"  
  
//Pure purple of recent grief, bright orange of determination never to fail again.// "Mitsukake"  
  
When she turned to the last she started. //This one is a Seiryuu! Blue seishi stripe, dark blue for loyalty, strong ties back to Kutou, must be...// "Ahhm...Chiriko!"  
  
She bowed to the all, still smiling, but determined to talk this over with Seiryuu first thing. The seishi, with the exception of Chichiri, stared at Kizuka in amazement. Into the silence there came a voice that seemed to sum up the feelings of the group, if not their precise thoughts.  
  
"What the FUCK?!?"  
  
~~~~~  
  
He he he, and that's where it ends! Not really, there is still a long way to go, but I have not yet written the chapters for it.   
  
A little explanation of Kizuka's knowledge. Tai Itsukun gave Kizuka descriptions of all 14 seishi in terms she would understand, but no background information. That's why Kizuka knows that Chichiri would have blue green of sadness and guilt without knowing who Hikou and Kouran were. The colors represent feelings, and they are the only things that Kizuka can see, so her knowledge is just like saying that Nuriko is the one with purple hair that dresses like a girl without telling about his sister.   
  
PS This chapter brought to you by procrastination. That's right folks, I should have been studying for a French final, but noooo, you get a new chapter.  
  
Translator's note: the names of Kizuka's ancestors translate to "strength" (Gensei) and "protector" (Bougu). 


	4. Converations with the Seiryu

Disclaimer: I own lots of things that my parents got me for Christmas, but Fushigi Yuugi was not among them. :(  
  
Warnings: Tasuki language (very minor) Spoilers for the end of the first season.  
  
"..." - Human speak  
//...// - Thought speak  
*...* - Godspeak  
~...~ - Telepathy  
Seeing Beyond the Light:  
  
Chapter 3: Conversations with the Seiryuu  
  
Chichiri ended up fielding all the questions, as Kizuka was once again lost to laughter. Once all the important questions were covered (including several from a surprised emperor on why exactly a HAREM GIRL was having such close contact with 'him'), the seishi retired to a council chamber to discuss what to do next.  
  
Hotohori started off. "The most important thing is how to retrieve Tamahome from the Kutou palace."  
  
Kizuka leaned over to Chichiri and spoke in an undertone, "Why is Tamahome in Kutou?!"  
  
Chichiri whispered back, "The Kutou army was threatening small villages along the border, including Tamahome's. The general, Nakago, sent an ultimatum that unless Tamahome turned himself over to them, the devastation would continue. He complied with their demands, but promised to return when all the seishi were gathered."  
  
Kizuka almost told him at that point that all the Suzaku seishi WEREN'T there, but they were interrupted by a shout from Miaka.  
  
"I'll go! I'll go and get the scroll! It's my fault that it was lost so I need to get it!" Kizuka winced at the strident note in Miaka's voice.  
  
"We need to coordinate everything with Tamahome first, no da" Chichiri tried to restrain the determined Miko.  
  
"Can you set up a spell to speak with him?" Kizuka asked.  
  
"Hai, no da. It will take a little preparation, though."  
  
With that Miaka was off and running to get ready to see Tamahome. Everyone sweatdropped a little as Chichiri set off after her at a more moderate pace. The conference broke up as some went to unpack. Kizuka decided to follow Hotohori, Nuriko, and Tasuki. She joined them just in time to hear Tasuki's outburst.  
  
"B-but I thought you and Miaka were a couple!"  
  
Kizuka ducked quickly as Nuriko's seishi stripe flared bright red and Tasuki went flying into the wall behind her.  
  
"Let's leave the subtlety-challenged behind, shall we?" Nuriko followed Hotohori down the walkway.  
  
Kizuka paused next to Tasuki and knelt down, smothering giggles. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm FINE! Dammit, this is why I hate women!" He yelled his opinion towards the retreating couple.  
  
"Demo... Nuriko's a guy." She wondered if Tasuki was really that blind.  
  
"I KNOW! But he behaves like a girl! Stupid crossdressing freak..." He stormed off in the opposite direction from Hotohori and Nuriko, mumbling curses under his breath.  
  
Kizuka was left alone on the walkway. She sighed a little, then walked over to the rail and leaned on it carefully. //Seiryuu, we need to talk.//  
  
*What.* The voice was hard and flat.  
  
A singsong voice interrupted, *Oooo, somebody's in trouble.*  
  
//Shut UP, Byakko!// Kizuka's demand was echoed by three Gods and a Creator.  
  
//Seiryuu,// she began sweetly, //do you have any idea why one of YOUR seishi is fooling the Suzaku no Miko into believing that he is one of her seishi?// Her mental voice had hardened by the end.  
  
*Obviously Nakago has a brilliant plan. I rather like the way his mind works.* He said smugly.  
  
//What is it with you people?! Why does everything have to be a competition for you?// Kizuka could not understand Seiryuu's cavalier attitude towards human life.  
  
*It's the way to survive.* Seiryuu tried to be perfectly reasonable.  
  
//You're a God! You don't need to worry about survival!// She practically screamed at him.  
  
*But my people do. Take a look at Kutou sometime, little girl. I can't do anything about bad emperors or no farmland. This is the only way I can directly affect my country!* Seiryuu abandoned all pretence and began to get mad.  
  
Kizuka despaired at the note of anger in Seiryuu's voice, and tired to reason with Him. //So you allow a situation to develop where a 15 or 16 year old kid can't screw up or he'll be killed? Where he has to kill those he has made friends with?//   
  
*Why should you care? He's not your seishi to protect! You are the one who chose the Suzaku seishi.* Seiryuu was getting angrier by the moment.  
  
Kizuka chose to remain silent, as she could see that speaking would only make Seiryuu livid. Besides, the others were gathering along the walkway. Apparently everything was arranged. Kizuka turned around to see Tasuki bribing his way into the rescue team.  
  
Chichiri turned to see Kizuka watching Tasuki's performance. "Do you want to come as well, no da? You are not a Suzaku seishi, so I don't think the barrier will be a problem, no da." He watched as she considered.  
  
"I don't think so. I will remain here to guard your return in case something goes wrong. I might not be needed, and if I don't go there is less of a chance that the Seiryuu will discover me." She couldn't help glancing at the imposter at this.  
  
"Alright, na no da!" Chichiri removed his kesa and laid it on the floor.  
  
"Wait a moment." Kizuka walked over to the three. Closing her eyes, she placed her hand on each one's chest in turn. Each felt a small tugging at their heart.  
  
"What the HELL was THAT!?" Tasuki chose to voice his opinion in his own unique style.  
  
Kizuka opened to eyes to view her handiwork and a very agitated bandit. His colors were swirling so fast that it made her a little dizzy. In explanation she closed her eyes again and concentrated a little. The walkway flooded with light.  
  
"Nani?" Miaka was curious, but not scared.  
  
Kizuka heard the sound of Hotohori drawing his sword. "What have you done with the Suzaku no Miko?"  
  
She opened her eyes to face the three people affected. Trailing from each of them to herself was a thin thread of light, each glowing a slightly different color. She fingered each while giving some answers.  
  
"When I put my hand on their chests I marked them with a tiny amount of my chi. What you are seeing is mostly that, but the threads contain a little of each person's chi as well. This way I can tell over great distance what they are doing, and how they are feeling. I think I could even speak to them telepathically, if I made the connection stronger." Kizuka was getting a little tired of having to explain herself.  
  
"Will this go through the barrier, no da?" Chichiri looked at the spell with professional curiosity.  
  
"Yes, it should. It is my spell and mostly my chi. I am not sure what would happen if I have to do anything more, as that would require more of your chi." In fact, she wasn't even sure she was supposed to use her talent like this.  
  
"Ano...why are they different colors?" Nuriko asked.  
  
"Because they come from different people. The orange is Tasuki, for his brashness; the yellow Miaka, for her cheerfulness. Chichiri is blue green for his sadness and guilt. The colors are the basis of the chi."  
  
At the reasoning for Chichiri's colors, Nuriko and Miaka gave a big laugh, Chichiri went chibi with a "Da!", and even Hotohori was chuckling. Nuriko finally gave the perplexed guardian a break. "Chichiri...blue from sadness? You've got to be kidding!"  
  
Kizuka blinked at Nuriko, then looked at Chichiri. For the first time she looked at him as others saw him. //They can't see past the mask. I suppose that's good on one level, for not scaring people away, but he's going to have to take off the mask sometime.//   
  
"Kizuka?" Miaka sounded worried when she didn't appreciate the joke.  
  
Kizuka smiled a little while looking at Chichiri's anxiously churning chi. "Yes, I guess that does sound silly, doesn't it?" She relaxed when Chichiri's chi calmed down.   
  
After another laugh or so the party headed out through Chichiri's kesa. Kizuka, concentrating on the threads before her, chuckled. "Chichiri needs to work on his landings."  
  
***  
  
"Something is wrong. They should have been back long before now." Nuriko agreed quickly with Hotohori's statement.  
  
Kizuka bit her lip and averted her eyes. Something had gone wrong almost as soon as they left. She could feel Miaka's fear as if it was her own. So far nothing had happened that the seishi could not handle. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the threads before her. //Miaka still has hope, but they are separated. Chichiri is worried and trying to hide it and Tasuki...//  
  
Here she was interrupted by a body slamming into her. "Gomen, Kizu-chan!" Nuriko chirped, then turned to the person who had been thrown into her, "Give me that flute!"  
  
Once the stars stopped swirling around her head, Kizuka got up and saw Nuriko fighting with the imposter over the flute. She sighed and smiled a little, then spoke up. "Hotohori-sama, I will step out a bit to be able to concentrate. Maybe I can figure out what is going on."  
  
Mitsukake watched as she left then looked at the scuffle that continued on the other side of the room. "Your majesty has a lot of boyfriends."  
  
Hotohori put his head in his hands, "My majesty has a headache."  
  
Mizukake chuckled, then escaped the argument by walking outside. He looked at Kizuka, who was facing East and concentrating closely on the task at hand. He stopped a moment to wonder at the whims of the Gods. According to her own information, this slim little girl was the divine protector sent from Tai Itsukun to guard them. He had a little trouble believing that; not that he doubted her word, he just doubted her ability to protect seven people. She looked incredibly small and delicate in the oversize courtesan's robes she was wearing. Petite, she looked barely strong enough to stand against a strong wind, much less a Seiryuu seishi. He glanced behind him as Chiriko ran out of the room apparently having lost the battle for the flute. He sat next to the boy to comfort him.  
  
Kizuka glanced over at the pair. She was still worried about the trio in Kutou, but with them separated she could not do much. She strengthened Miaka's thread to keep a better lookout, and wandered over to the pair, attracting their attention. She smiled. "I see Nuriko grabbed the flute."  
  
She could hear the tears in his voice when he responded quietly, "It was my mother's flute."  
  
Kizuka winced a little as a few tortured notes escaped the room behind them. "That playing sounds painful. Perhaps we should put Hotohori out of his misery before Nuriko's 'soothing music' does it for us."  
  
The boy cracked a smile at the comment, which caused Kizuka to chuckle quietly at the lightening of his chi. A few more notes drifted past, and Kizuka doubled over in pain, moaning softly. Even Mitsukake laughed at the playacting. However, Kizuka was no longer smiling. Mitsukake looked at her in concern and alarm as she clutched her arm and bit back a scream.  
  
"Are you alright?" He reached out to her to help, but stopped, not knowing what was wrong.  
  
It took Kizuka a few moments to separate the sensations coursing through her. It felt like her arm had been crushed, but when she touched it, the arm was whole. She cracked her eyes open a little to see Miaka's line pulse with pain.  
  
Mitsukake was relieved when Kizuka opened her eyes. She swallowed and shook a little, then looked at him, still clutching her arm. "It's not my pain. I'm not hurt. Something is terribly wrong."  
  
Kizuka stood and slowly walked back to the railing. She closed her eyes and concentrated on a thread. ~Chichiri!~  
  
~Nani?~  
  
~It's Kizuka. I can talk telepathically with the link. Listen, Miaka's been hurt. I can help you get back here through the barrier, but you need to get close together.~  
  
~Where is she, no da?~  
  
Kizuka concentrated. The pain increased when she touched Miaka, but she gritted her teeth and found Chichiri again. ~She's being escorted down a hall near you.~  
  
~Arigato.~   
  
She opened her eyes and turned around to find both of the others looking at her. She ducked her head, knowing she must have looked exceedingly strange. She drew in a quick breath and spoke. "Miaka's been hurt, but I can't do anything to get them back until they are closer together."  
  
"What happened to you?" She could see doubt amongst the concern in Mitsukake's chi, and wondered at the cause.  
  
"Apparently an unfortunate side effect of the chi bonding is reciprocal sensations. I was too closely connected to Miaka when she was injured, so I received some of her pain. I minimized the connection, so I only feel a little of it now." She winced as pain of an entirely different sort filtered through the door in the form of Nuriko's flute playing. "Perhaps we should put your flute out of its misery. Hotohori and Nuriko should know this."  
  
With that she walked back into the room, leaving the others to follow. The playing got worse when she opened the door.  
  
"Is Heika-sama soothed by my music?" Nuriko asked.  
  
Kizuka saved the emperor from having to answer by interrupting with, "Hotohori-sama, something has gone wrong. Miaka-" here she was disturbed by a tug on one of the strings. "Gomen, but Chichiri is calling. Mitsukake, can you explain?"  
  
She barely got an assent from the healer before she concentrated on the blue string before her. ~Chichiri? You're all together?~  
  
~Hai, but we need to find Tamahome. Can you sense him, no da?~  
  
~Hold on a minute~ It was hard, but she used the trio as a base with which to search the palace. Miaka seemed almost reluctant to let her search, which she found curious, but dismissed in the need to find the missing seishi. ~Chichiri, I can't sense another Suzaku seishi anywhere in the palace.~  
  
~Alright, guess I'll have to search myself.~ He still seemed cheerful, so she thought it wise to caution him.  
  
~Is that safe?~  
  
~I have a disguise of Nakago, no da.~ He sounded entirely confident.  
  
~That only works if you don't run into Nakago.~ She could hear his mental chuckle as he left the group. She smiled and opened her eyes to four people staring at her in puzzlement.  
  
"Didn't Mitsukake explain it to you?" She asked curiously.  
  
Hotohori spoke up, "We only know that Miaka is hurt. What is going on?"  
  
"They went to the arranged place, but something went wrong and they were separated. Miaka was injured, but they're back together and Chichiri is going to look for Tamahome."  
  
"How-"  
  
"That's all I really know right now," she interrupted, losing her patience. "We will have to hear the full story from the others. Once they're together I think I can break through the barrier." She concentrated on the threads again, and gave an exasperated sigh. "Your priestess is very impulsive," she said wryly. "She has run off again."  
  
Kizuka ignored the protests of the others as she called Chichiri and updated him on the situation. ~She's headed for the garden, probably where you were going to meet Tamahome.~  
  
~Arigato, no da.~  
  
She sensed Chichiri meet up with Tasuki and head for the gardens then she turned her attention back to Miaka. She felt her arm start to ache again, but pushed past that. Miaka was scared and heartbroken, confronting someone whom Kizuka did not recognize. The chi was twisted with the blood red of anger and hate; a churning murky mess that she could not look at for long. The man raised his arm as if to strike her, and Kizuka cried out involuntarily. Miaka cringed back in fear, but Tasuki came between him and blocked the weapon. Kizuka could feel Miaka's terror rolling off her in waves, not fear for herself but for Tasuki and the attacker.  
  
~Chichiri, what's going on? Who is that?~ she asked desperately.  
  
~Tamahome. Apparently he is the one that attacked her, no da.~ His reply was quick.  
  
~That's not Tamahome. He doesn't bear Suzaku's mark on his chi.~ Of that she was absolutely certain.  
  
Kizuka was broken out of her link by someone shaking her madly. She looked up to see Nuriko holding her. "What's going on? You stopped responding, then clutched your arm in pain, then gave a yell that nearly woke the dead!"  
  
"There's no time to explain. Tasuki is fighting off an attacker, but they are all together, so I can finally do something to get them back." She spoke both mentally and physically, "Chichiri! I can get you back, I think. Get as close together as possible. I will bind your chi together for a moment, then pull you through a hole in the barrier. Tell me the instant you are ready."  
  
She glanced around the room, then thanked the Gods for Nakago's plans. The imposter might be the only one who could help her lower or at least lessen the strength of the barrier. Nakago had taken great care to keep out Suzaku magic, but not Seiryuu. "Chiriko, I'll need your help. The barrier is currently too strong for me to break a big enough hole for the three to get through. Play your flute to weaken the barrier." He nodded, picked up the flute from Nuriko and began to play.  
  
Kizuka checked with her threads again. "Nuriko, I'll need you help as well. Tasuki's getting quite a beating, so when I contact him close enough to make this happen, I'm not sure what will happen to me. If I pass out or don't come out of the meditation a few minutes after they get back, pull on this." She tossed him a glowing strand of her own chi. "I'll need all of your seishi strength to help."  
  
She caught his nod and turned to the other two. "Mitsukake, be ready for when they come. Tasuki-" She gasped as she lightly touched his strand, "Tasuki will need your help."  
  
Hotohori looked at the girl, assured and calm, and wondered how one so small could show such strength. She was hardly bigger than Nuriko, yet she could save them all. "How can I help?"  
  
She glanced at him, and just for a second he could see the mask drop and was startled by the fear he saw. But the next moment it was gone as she smiled and scratched the back of her head. "Start praying, because I'm not sure any of this is going to work."  
  
Kizuka felt the tug on Chichiri's string and turned toward the East. "Now."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: So what do you think? I am taking a poll. Do you like longer chapters that you wait for or shorter ones more frequently?   
  
Any comments or suggestions could be put in a review, or send it to muellerje@hendrix.edu. Please write constructive criticism. Much as I like "you rock" reviews, it does not help me improve my writing. I'll return the favor if you tell me about your stories in a review.   
  
The next chapter should be out soon due to a tornado at Target (where I work) during which I was able to write more. 


	5. Secrets

Disclaimer: *tries to think up catchy disclaimer* *can't* Sigh, I don't own FY.  
  
Warnings: Bad asses...Tasuki language...Bad dreams...weird revelations...maybe a little death...and spoilers for the end of the first season on. Pleasant chapter, ne?  
  
"..." - Human speak  
//...// - Thought speak  
*...* - Godspeak  
~...~ - Telepathy   
  
Seeing Beyond the Light  
  
Chapter 4: Secrets  
  
Kizuka glanced up at the sound of silence. The Seiryuu imposter had stopped playing. "What is it?"  
  
"Ganbate, Kizuka." He smiled in encouragement and began to play again.  
  
Kizuka smiled, quickly knelt, and concentrated on the threads before her. She quickly spun them together into a rope and coated them in a layer of her own chi. ~Chichiri, Tasuki, Miaka? I need you to give me permission to manipulate a large amount of your chi. I'm bound by oath not to do this without your consent.~  
  
~Hai, no da.~  
  
~H-hai.~  
  
~Get us the FUCK outta here girl!~  
  
She took the last as consent from Tasuki as she went deep into her own chi. Throwing most of herself down the rope, she closed her eyes as her consciousness followed. She barely felt the barrier as she slammed down in the midst of the fight.  
  
She was in a completely different world. Sights, sounds, and sensations bombarded her from three different people. She felt the lingering ache of Miaka's arm and the fresh agony of Tasuki's injuries. She worried with Chichiri, raged with Tasuki, and was heartbroken with Miaka. She quickly concentrated on the task at hand before she could lose herself completely.  
  
~Chichiri, you first. Go through the tunnel as quickly as possible. I don't want to risk two at once. Be prepared to catch Miaka and Tasuki at the end so that they don't aggravate their injuries.~ She spoke quickly and efficiently.  
  
~See you soon, no da.~  
  
She felt him leave and fade in her mind, as she placed a barrier around Miaka and Tasuki to replace Chichiri's. ~Miaka, its your turn now....Miaka?~  
  
There was a pause as Miaka did not seem to hear.  
  
~MIAKA, NOW DAMMIT!~ She lost her patience with the Miko.  
  
Miaka jumped, a little surprised at the Guardian's tone, and turned once again to Tamahome. "Sayonara, Tamahome, Sayonara," and Miaka was gone.  
  
Kizuka looked over at the attacker and gasped. Very weakly, so faint she could barely see it, the Suzaku seishi stripe began to glow. She clutched at that light and attached a thread of her chi to it.  
  
~Tasuki, go now...Tasuki?~ She glanced back at him. //Oh shit.// Tasuki had lost consciousness. She quickly gathered all her energy and gently lifted him up into the chi-tunnel. Fighting to remain conscious against the powerful force of Tasuki's chi, she carefully put him into the portal. His body fell through, and she rested a moment as Tasuki's pain faded.  
  
Just as she was about to gather the last dregs of her strength and leave, she felt the icy cold of a foreign chi lock onto hers.  
  
~Hello, Suzaku seishi no Guardian.~ She could hear the smirk in his tone.  
  
~Nakago.~ The word was filled with venom. Kizuka tried to leave but found she could not.  
  
~You were pathetically easy to catch. Did you know that the chi that we can manipulate is actually a part of the soul? I wonder what will happen to your body in Konan if I destroy the chi you so thoughtfully placed right here.~  
  
Kizuka felt a sliver of fear as she got her first glimpse of Nakago. The blackest red of hate she had ever seen permeated his entire soul. She could see nothing else except his seishi stripe crisscrossed with red lightening. She tried to put on a brave front. ~You don't have the power to destroy my chi. Your chi blasts and weapons need a physical target.~ She sounded as if she was trying to convince herself.  
  
~How little you know.~ Nakago closed his fist and Kizuka's world became one of pain.  
  
~Help! Please, someone,...Nuriko! Help...me...please......help~  
  
***  
  
Nuriko was surprised when he was given a job in the rescue. Usually if it involved magic he was not involved at all. He watched Kizuka sink into a deep mediation. A thousand emotions flickered across her face at once. As he watched, a glowing white portal appeared on the floor in front of her. He sighed when he saw first Chichiri's staff then the man himself appear from it. Apparently this was going to work. There was a pause, then Kizuka winced and grasped her arm again. Miaka floated slowly through, crying. Nuriko ignored Chichiri's orders to Mitsukake and looked again at Kizuka. She had relaxed the death grip on her arm, and looked thoughtful for a moment. Nuriko held his breath and waited to see the reaction when Tasuki came through. Kizuka seemed to sink even deeper into the mediation, then she gritted her teeth. Slowly, so slowly that Nuriko could almost detect no movement, Tasuki began to appear through the portal. Mitsukake gently cradled his head as Chichiri and Hotohori supported his body and laid it on the floor. Once he was out, Kizuka, her eyes still shut tightly, dropped to her hands and knees and gasped for breath. The portal did not disappear.  
  
Nuriko, still keeping a tight grip on the rope of chi, asked tentatively, "Kizuka? Are you alright?"  
  
All of a sudden the portal began to twist and grow dark. Kizuka's back arched and her face contorted in pain. Nuriko immediately began to pull on the rope.  
  
"Nuriko! Hurry! She saved our lives." Miaka turned desperate, tear filled eyes upon her friend.  
  
"It's not working! I'm using all my strength but it's not budging!" He yelled at the others, getting desperate.  
  
Hotohori left Tasuki in Mitsukake's care and joined Nuriko at the tug of war. No matter how hard he gripped the rope, it seemed to slip through his fingers. Nuriko was slowly but surely being dragged toward Kizuka.  
  
All of a sudden the tension snapped as the portal disappeared and Kizuka collapsed on the floor. Nuriko was thrown to the floor as the rope disappeared into Kizuka.  
  
Miaka crawled over and tentatively touched Kizuka's shoulder, then grew bolder and turned her over on her back. Everyone held their breath as they waited. The silence was broken at last by a gasping breath from Kizuka as she opened her eyes.  
  
"Arigato, minna. Arigato, Nuriko." She closed her eyes again, this time in sleep.  
  
Nuriko turned confused eyes to Chichiri. "It wasn't working. Anyone could see that. If I did not save her, who did?"  
  
***  
  
It was dark.  
  
The darkness enveloped her like a lover, warm and comforting. She floated, out of time and space, for a second and an eternity. She did not know when the other being joined her, but she knew when it took notice of her. All of a sudden the darkness seemed to smother her, hold her captive so she could not turn away from the shining blue being in front of her. She struggled in vain as a blue blast streaked towards her and seared her soul. She flinched in pain and opened her mouth to scream, but found she could not. Her struggles began anew and she realized that she wasn't breathing, COULD NOT breathe. She pushed and shoved at the blackness, but something was holding her down. The inky pitch clung to her every pore, holding fast against all her struggles until...  
  
Kizuka woke up with a gasp, her eyes wide and staring. Apparently someone had moved her back to her room after she had collapsed. She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. //What in the HELL was that?!//  
  
*The after-effects of chi manipulation. Your chi was used without permission, and the nightmares are the result. This is what we were warning you against, why we made you take the oath. The nightmares will fade with time, but they will never completely go away.* Tai Itsukun's voice gave little comfort.  
  
//Nakago did this to me?// She did not wait for an answer. //I need to find the seishi, there is much that needs to be done.//  
  
***  
  
Hotohori looked up from his seat at the entrance of Kizuka. Mitsukake had just finished talking about the effects of the kotuku poison. She appeared a bit flustered and worn out, but calmed herself down enough to give a polite bow before turning to Chichiri.  
  
"Chichiri, you are familiar with Tamahome's chi, right?"  
  
"Hai, no da."  
  
"Did you recognize anything, anything at all in that...thing?"  
  
"No," he said speculatively, "but even you said that you could not see Suzaku's mark on his chi."  
  
The room seemed to deflate at that, but Kizuka still looked hopeful. "Not at first. Right as Miaka was leaving, she said 'Sayonara, Tamahome,' and just for second I could see the seishi stripe. The mark of the Gods is what my spell binds to, and look," the room flooded with light as five chi strings began to glow. She counted them off as she touched them, her voice getting quicker as she grew more excited. "Chichiri...Tasuki...Miaka...and this has to be Tamahome. Blue for loyalty, red for love, he's still there! Even if whatever spell Nakago has him under-"  
  
"Kotuku poison," Mitsukake supplied.  
  
"Arigato. Even if this poison controls a lot or even most of his actions, Tamahome as you knew him is still there." Kizuka let the light fade. "There is still hope."  
  
Everyone's chi brightened a little by the hope in Kizuka's voice. Just then Nuriko ran in, waving a paper over his head.  
  
"Miaka's missing! She's not in her room, and I think that this is a farewell note!"  
  
Hotohori was about to run off to look for her when Kizuka stopped him. Placing a hand on his chest, she marked him quickly. After doing the same to Nuriko, Mitsukake, and the pretender, she spoke, "That's so I don't lose all of you. Hotohori, she's by the pond, but you'd better hurry."  
  
Hotohori nodded then ran in the direction of the pond. Nuriko and Mitsukake followed close behind, leaving Kizuka alone for the first time with the Seiryuu seishi. Kizuka began to walk after those who had left.  
  
"You're not running after them?"  
  
Kizuka sighed and looked down at her clothes. "They did not make courtesans' robes for running, especially when they are two or three times too big."  
  
He laughed a little, then grew serious again. "When you couldn't come back from Kutou, was that because I stopped playing?"  
  
Kizuka turned in surprise to see the dark green of guilt cover his chi, "No, Nakago caught hold of me. It had nothing to do with you."  
  
He nodded, then asked the other question that had been bothering him. "Who was the fifth string? You mentioned Miaka, Chichiri, Tasuki, and Tamahome, but there was another, dark red light. Who was it?"  
  
She paused at the door, then turned to face the imposter. Her voice and face had hardened. "That was Nakago. I thought I'd keep track of the bastard who tried to kill me."  
  
***  
  
Kizuka finally joined the group by the pond. "How long has he been under?"  
  
Nuriko turned worried eyes to Kizuka. "A long time. He was already under by the time we got here."  
  
She nodded and turned back to the pond. Unobtrusively she touched on Hotohori's thread. Reminding herself firmly that she was NOT underwater and she COULD breathe, she began to feed her chi to Hotohori to give him strength. Just as she was beginning to feel faint from the effort a red glow began to grow in the water. She gasped in relief as Hotohori rose over the water carrying Miaka. As he landed she nearly collapsed herself. Mitsukake looked at her worriedly.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
"Hai. I think I did not sleep long enough. Go to Miaka. She needs your help more than me."  
  
As he moved over to the crowd around Miaka Kizuka painfully drew herself up and turned for the long walk back to her rooms and some sleep between the nightmares. //Miaka and Hotohori are safe. That's what's important, Kizuka. A little pain on your part is nothing compared to the importance of the seishi. You knew this when you swore the oath,// she reminded herself.  
  
//It's not like they would care, anyway,// a mean little voice inside her said.  
  
//Nani?//  
  
//You've just put yourself through incredible torment to rescue the seishi and that idiot Miaka from Kutou, and what do they do? Throw you into your room to sleep it off while they moan about poor, heartbroken Miaka!//  
  
//That's not true!//She shook her head to rid herself of the annoyance.  
  
//Ohh really...Who was there this morning when you woke up from one of the most terrible nightmares of your life?//  
  
//...N-no one, but-//Her protests grew weaker as the poison of the voice began to sink in.  
  
//That's right, they were all in that room wondering what to do. And then, when you offer some hope, they ignore you to rescue Miaka again. You are in pain now but do they react? No! Not even a word of thanks from Hotohori!//  
  
//Mitsukake asked about me! And the imposter was worried!// That sounded weak even to herself.  
  
//Oh come on. You saw the doubt in Mitsukake even before the rescue. And finding comfort in the Seiryuu? Don't make me laugh! Face it, you're just a tool to them.//  
  
//NO! Chichiri likes me!//  
  
//OK...where has he been since his real friends came back? He dropped you pretty quickly.//  
  
She dashed away sudden tears. //You're lying.//  
  
//Wake up Kizuka! You are no more important to them then you were to your family. Poor little weeping girl who couldn't ever be the best because she let her emotions get in the way of her skill. Your father had to keep training you long after the others because you were so incompetent.//  
  
Kizuka put her head in her hands. //No. Stop it.//  
  
//Fool. Weak. Stupid. Pathetic...//  
  
"Kizu-chan?"  
  
She gasped and looked up. "Nuriko! How's Miaka?"  
  
"Hotohori-sama is taking her inside. She'll be fine. But never mind that. Are YOU ok?"  
  
"Hai. A little tired maybe," she said, "mostly from getting the others back last night. I need to get some rest, but my room is so far from here."  
  
"You can sleep in mine! It's right near all the rest of us, and not that far a walk. Here." Nuriko put his arm around Kizuka's waist and slung her arm over his shoulder.  
  
Kizuka basked in the support of Nuriko for the much shorter walk to his room. "Here we are! Now you get some rest." Nuriko closed the doors behind him to give them some privacy.  
  
Hearing the doors close, Kizuka began to feel her way cautiously across the room. She winced as her hand smashed into the inner wall.  
  
Nuriko watched Kizuka as she made her way across the room, a suspicion niggling at his mind. "Let me help."  
  
Kizuka straightened and cursed her exhaustion that made her forget that Nuriko was near. She put on a smile, "What would I need help for?"  
  
"Come on, you're practically falling over your own feet in exhaustion." Nuriko picked her up and put her to bed fully clothed. Pulling up a chair next to the bed, he sat down and tried to come up with a discrete way of confirming his suspicion. After a bit he said, "You're blind, aren't you?" //So much for discrete. I'm getting as bad as Tasuki.//  
  
Rather than answer, Kizuka stared at her hands on the covers.  
  
"Kizuka?" Nuriko prodded, "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."  
  
She finally glanced up, "Did you know that your sister follows you around?"  
  
"Nani? What does that have to do with-"  
  
"At least I think it's your sister," Kizuka interrupted, looking back down at her hands. "She's young and shows some kinship to you, and since I don't think you had a daughter..." She waved a hand negligently. "Anyway, she's there. That's how I can tell when you are crossdressing. When you are in a dress, your sister is closer, almost touching your chi. I assume you were dressed as a man when I first met you because she was farther away, trailing behind. But that's really beside the point. The point is, with TrueSight I can see your dead sister following you around but I can't see a stone in front of my feet."  
  
"So...you are blind?" Nuriko was confused by the roundabout explanation, and wanted to be sure.  
  
"To all intents and purposes, yes. The only thing I can see is chi. It's like when you stare at the sun or a fire too long, you can't see other things for a bit afterwards. Since I constantly see chi, I can't make out ordinary objects. I can see all living things, and even things that were once living, such as a wooden door or chest or you sister. But things that never had life? Metals, stone? No, I can't see them at all."  
  
"You can see ghosts?" He recoiled a bit in fright.  
  
"Not usually. Most have already passed into the other realm." She waved her hands quickly to reassure him.  
  
"But Kourin, my sister, you can see her? How is she?" Nuriko grabbed Kizuka's arm in his excitement to hear about his sister.  
  
"Do you want the truth?" Kizuka looked directly at the waiting seishi.  
  
"Hai!" He nodded vigorously.  
  
Kizuka thought for a moment on how to phrase her answer. "When she's close to you she reflects what you feel, almost as a dimmer echo. But when I first saw her, she was bright, vibrant, and happy. It almost looked like she could break free. She's attached to you and can experience life, but I think she wants to be free to see the other realm."  
  
Nuriko was silent for so long that Kizuka almost gave into the exhaustion that was plaguing her. Finally Nuriko shook himself out of his thoughts and stood up. "Arigato, Kizu-chan, for telling me. Now you need some sleep!"  
  
"Ano...Nuriko? Please don't tell anyone about my blindness. I'm trying to prove myself enough without that to get past as well. And I'm not sure if I said this before, but thank you. For pulling me back from Kutou. I would have died." She was barely able to put together a coherent thought, but managed to get that out.  
  
Nuriko paused at the doorway. "It wasn't working. I was using all my strength and it wasn't helping. Whatever saved you, it wasn't me."  
  
***  
  
Chichiri glanced up as Nuriko walked into the room. He seemed a little out of spirits. In fact, he looked absolutely shocked about something.  
  
"Where the fuck have you been, gay-boy?" Tasuki asked in his delicate manner.  
  
Chichiri had been prepared to duck in case a flying seishi came his way, but even he was surprised by the reaction.  
  
"Kizuka was practically collapsed in exhaustion out there, so I'm letting her use my bed, which is closer than hers," Nuriko answered absently.  
  
Now Chichiri knew something was wrong. He glanced at Mitsukake, who had come back from treating Miaka in time to hear the exchange, and frowned. "Is Kizuka all right, no da?"  
  
"Hai, hai. She expended a lot of chi last night and needed more rest, is all."  
  
"Are YOU ok?" Mitsukake's deep rumble seemed to fill the room.  
  
Nuriko glanced at the others, finally noticing their unease at his uncharacteristic behavior. So as not to worry them when they should be concerned with Tamahome, he donned the mask he had been wearing for eight years. "Hai! I'm fine! I was just thinking about Hotohori-sama's amazing strength of will..."  
  
A couple of sentences and a flying bandit later, all was once again right with the world, on the surface at least.  
  
***  
  
Kizuka had been on the verge of sleep when Nuriko had given his revelation. //If he did not save me, who did? Tai Itsukun?//  
  
*I do not interfere so directly in the affairs of my children.*  
  
//Suzaku?//  
  
*Nakago was the one holding you. I have no power over the Seiryuu seishi.*  
  
//No power over...Seiryuu! It was you? You saved my life?...Why?...Seiryuu?//  
  
Try as she might she could not get a response from the Dragon God. She called in vain, but finally sleep overpowered her, and with it came the dream.  
  
***  
  
Kizuka sat up to a memory of shadow and blue flame. The remnants of the dream were quickly lost in the awareness of an evil presence in the palace. She shook her head, trying to place the source of the disturbance. Fighting the covers, she crossed the room and ran straight into a wall before she remembered that this was not her room.  
  
She paused and took a breath. Thanking Suzaku once again that whoever designed the palace had thought to use a lot of wood, she carefully made her way to the walkway. Abandoning all dignity, she hiked up her skirts and broke into a run, heading toward the room where most of the rest of the seishi were. They looked up as she burst into the room.  
  
"Ta-Tamahome," she gasped, "Tamahome's here, and he's gonna kill Miaka!"  
  
As a group they ran out of the room. Nuriko grabbed Kizuka's hand as he passed her, forcibly dragging her along.  
  
"He's already in the inner courtyard!" Kizuka shouted to the others.  
  
Nuriko nodded, then warned in an undertone, "We're getting close to the stairs."  
  
"Arigato."  
  
The group came to an abrupt halt at the base of the stairs as they found themselves face to face with their ally-turned-enemy.  
  
"Heh, I wondered when the pathetic seishi would show themselves to surrender." The Nakago-influenced Tamahome spoke confidently, sure that he would win.  
  
"Surrender! Who the hell do you think you're talking to? A bandit leader surrenders to no one, especially weak fools who beat upon women!" Tasuki was alight with his rage.  
  
"Ohh, so the one bandaged from head to toe has some bite after all. Anytime you're ready to die, fool." He laughed scornfully.  
  
"Iie!" Kizuka pushed her way through the group, putting herself between Tamahome and Tasuki, who was being restrained by Mitsukake. "I will not allow you to fight! I am the Guardian of the seishi, and I will do all in my power to prevent harm to come to either of you."  
  
Mitsukake looked at the young woman, standing cool and confident before the twisted seishi. His first impression of her, which had taken a severe blow last night, was completely blown out of the water at the sight of her putting herself deliberately in harm's way. Lightening flashed overhead, and she seemed to take into the power inherent in the skies. Her golden eyes flashed with the pealing thunder.   
  
The powerful scene was broken by the sound of Tamahome's laughter. "You? One of the emperor's whores? An imperial harlot is going to stop me?"  
  
"No." The booming voice came from behind all of them, and everyone whirled to see Hotohori come down the stairs with two swords in hand. "She will not stop you, because I will."  
  
He was almost level with Kizuka when she raised a hand to stop him. "Heika-sama-"  
  
He shoved her aside and tossed a sword at Tamahome. "Pick it up."  
  
Nuriko and Mitsukake ran to the fallen Kizuka. As the rest moved out of the way of the fight, Nuriko was the first to speak, "His majesty's kindness is gone. He will kill Tamahome."  
  
Kizuka stood up and glanced at the other seishi. Worry and fear had darkened their chi, even that of the imposter. She looked back at the fight. The blue and golden yellow of Hotohori's chi were completely gone, replaced by glowing orange and dark red of determination and passion. "Hai, he will kill Tamahome, but not if I have anything to say about it."  
  
She ignored the strange looks she was getting and sank into a light meditation. She began feeding all the chi she could spare into Tamahome's line, strengthening it into a thick rope, and put all her strength into reaching Tamahome.  
  
~Tamahome! Please fight! It's urgent!~  
  
~no, hurts~  
  
~But he's gonna kill Hotohori and Miaka!~  
  
~miaka?~  
  
~Yes, the one you love, who loves you! Please fight him!~  
  
~too tired~  
  
Kizuka came to a hasty decision. She threw all her chi at Tamahome, letting him use her last reserves in his fight.  
  
*Stop! You'll kill yourself!* Suzaku was frantic for Kizuka.  
  
//Shut up Suzaku, I need to concentrate.//  
  
Slowly Tamahome began to gain ground in the fight against his alter ego.  
  
Nuriko, in his concentration on the fight, barely noticed when Kizuka collapsed on the ground. He did, however notice when Kizuka started mumbling under her breath. Leaning closer, he realized that she was muttering encouragement to Tamahome. All of a sudden he heard Miaka shout. He watched in horror as the emperor was distracted for a brief moment and Tamahome charged him. Time seemed to slow as several things happened at once.  
  
"Tamahome, NO!" Miaka's shout.  
  
"Almost there!" Kizuka's encouragement.  
  
And Hotohori used Tamahome's charge to impale him on the sword.  
  
Nuriko barely heard Miaka's scream in his shock as he watched Tamahome's body fall to the ground. He wanted to run to Hotohori to see if he was ok; he wanted to pull Miaka off of Tamahome and out of danger; he wanted to run and hide from the horrible truth that another one of his friends was going to die, but he could do none of these things. He was rooted to the spot in amazement.  
  
Into the silence that not even Miaka's sobs could overcome Nuriko heard Kizuka's voice. "Fight, damn you! I know it hurts and I know your tired but he's gonna kill her. Dammit, Obake-chan, for once in your life prove that you are not the ogre on your forehead and FIGHT!"  
  
The last word was practically a scream.  
  
Kizuka fought with the last of her energy, convinced it could still work.  
  
//You realize that you're barely alive right now. If you give up that last bit of chi not even Mitsukake could save you. Not that he would, because he would have to heal Tamahome first. You would barely get an epitaph.// The mean voice was back.  
  
//I don't care anymore.// She threw the last remaining ounces of her strength at Tamahome, and was rewarded as red light filled the courtyard. She sighed as she saw the last of the creature dissolve in the light of Suzaku's fire. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she let the darkness usher her into another world.  
  
Tamahome, having been healed by Mitsukake, leaned on Miaka as he looked around for his savior. "Kizuka? I wanted to say thank you. ... Kizuka?...Kizuka!!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
And so end's another chapter. Were you surprised by her blindness? I thought I kept it consistent without giving it away. The blue man in her nightmares is pretty obvious, but what is this mean little voice? And what about Amiboshi? Or Nuriko? That's quite a bombshell to have dropped on the poor seishi. Questions that may or may not be answered in the next chapter! Yes, there will be a next chapter. Whether or not Kizuka will be alive depends on reviews, however.  
  
I will be going back to school soon, so believe it or not I will probably be able to get chapters out to you faster! This comes from going from a 40 hour-a-week job to a 10 hour-a-week job. Wing-chan gets more time!  
  
Translators note: Ganbate-Good luck or fortune  
  
For your enjoyment (especially with that ending) and in the spirit of Purple Mouse's Another Story, I bring you...  
  
*****Seeing Beyond the Light Akugi!*****  
  
Wingsong narrates: Kizuka sat up to a memory of shadow and blue flame. The remnants of the dream were quickly lost in the awareness of an evil presence in the palace.  
Kizuka: "A balrog! A balrog has come! And it looks like a Smurf!"  
He he he, Wing-chan is going now.  
  
PS: If you appreciated the Akugi (i.e. understood it) and like shounan ai, I am entering a shameless roommate plug! Go and read "Heart of a Radiant Star" by Ereinien. Is very good, but I warn! Is an Elrond/Ereinien pairing! (Based on the "what if" that Ereinien, High King of the Elves, did not die in the final battle of the second age.) 


	6. Friendship

Disclaimer: I now own three FY CD's. Does that mean I own FY? Not at all!! I don't own Pride and Prejudice either (at least the rights to it). Bonus points for any who can guess where I quoted from that book! Pieces and ideas from "When Dreams Change" by cymberleah and "Flames of the Phoenix" by Kryssa were used with permission. (read author's note at end)  
  
Warnings: Tasuki language (bad boy)...Arguing Gods...conflicting loyalties...minor minor minor spoilers for Eikoden...and spoilers for the end of the first season on.  
  
If you are one of the few that have been reading this from the beginning, I have done some extensive overhauls to previous chapters (as of 3/1/03). Please go and reread those first!  
  
"..." - Human speak  
  
//...// - Thought speak  
  
*...* - Godspeak  
  
~...~ - Telepathy   
  
^...^ - Twinspeak  
  
Seeing Beyond the Light  
  
Chapter 5: Friendship  
  
She came back into awareness slowly. At first all she knew was that she was no longer in the comforting blackness of unconsciousness, that the darkness was the black of her own closed eyes. The second sensation was of pain, or rather lack there of. She did not hurt, felt no pain. This did not bode well for her still being alive. She checked out her body as much as she could without opening her eyes, and realized that she was in a bed, covered up. //Well, that destroys most of my illusions of the afterlife. Tai Itsukun, am I on your mountain? Am I going to open my eyes to Nyan Nyan?//  
  
*Why don't you find out?* Tai Itsukun responded sensibly.  
  
//Too sleepy...// Indeed, the heaviness of sleep still clung to her like a cloak.  
  
*Indeed.* The creator's voice was wry. *But you are awake.*  
  
//Don't confuse me with the truth.// In truth, Kizuka was a little scared to open her eyes. She did not want to find out that she was, in fact, dead. She still had too much to do for her to have died.  
  
*Just open your eyes, child. You're not dead, yet. Though keeping you alive has been a monumental task.* The aged voice was one she had rarely heared.  
  
//Genbu?// She thought hesitantly.   
  
*Yes, child.* The eldest of the four Gods was amused at her perplexity.  
  
//I don't hear from you all that often. I wasn't sure it was you.// She explained apologetically.  
  
*With age comes wisdom, and the wise know when to speak and when to remain silent. I saved you, so I should be the one to tell you that you aren't dead.* Genbu was practical in His thinking.  
  
//You?// Kizuka was shocked. She knew that the Gods liked her, but to have one of them bring her back from the dead was a little startling, to say the least.  
  
*Yes. You fell onto stone. I, as Kami of Earth, used the chi of the stones to restore your own. Seiryuu might have used the rain, but a non-summoned God does not have the power that a summoned one does. So it fell to me to heal you.* Genbu was going to continue His explanation, but He was interrupted by another voice.  
  
Byakko began to laugh with glee as he remembered the reactions of the seishi. *An' you glowed green, an' the stones started to crumble underneath you, an' the others ran over an' were freakin' out, an'...*   
  
*Shut UP, Byakko.* Once again the Kami of Joy was hushed by three Gods, a Guardian, and the Creator of the Universe.  
  
*WHAT? I was just talkin'!* Byakko was a little put out.  
  
*Yes,* said Genbu. *Too much. The young should be silent.* Genbu was severe on His younger brother.  
  
*I'm just as old as you!* Byakko knew that he could be a little more mature, but never seemed to want to. Perhaps it was the combination of representing both Joy and Youth that made him so uncontrollable.  
  
*As long as you insist on acting like you are a mere 2000 years old, I will continue to treat you as one.* Genbu said, and winced. That sounded like something their mother, Tai Itsukun would say, not the wise and ancient Protector of the North.  
  
*Unfair! Unfair!* It sounded like this argument would degenerate to the level of a three year old.  
  
Kizuka sighed. She knew now that she had to be alive. She couldn't imagine an afterlife where the gods still argued in her head. //You guys do realize that I can still hear you, right?//  
  
*Oops.* Byakko called. *Gomen, Kizu-chan!* The Gods faded from her mind.  
  
Kizuka took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She gave a little squeak of surprise. The Seiryuu imposter was right in front of her face! The imposter had apparently been sitting on a chair next to the bed, but had fallen asleep resting on the bed. She sat up quickly and scooted away to gain some distance. She then felt a little foolish. She cleared her throat a little to catch his attention. When that didn't work, she called out, "Chiriko?"  
  
Amiboshi blinked and woke up. Upon discovering Kizuka on the other side of the bed and his own...compromising...position, he winced and waited for the scream of "Hentai" and the slap.  
  
"Wh-what are you doing in here?" Kizuka relaxed against the wall and drew her feet into a more comfortable seated position.  
  
He opened his eyes again and looked at Kizuka. She was looking back at his curiously, her golden eyes wide. He reddened and lifted an arm to scratch the back of his head. "Ano...I was worried about you. You had been sleeping so long...and...Iwasn'tsureyouweregoingtowakeup." The last was said in one explosive breath, but Kizuka understood.  
  
She looked seriously at him. He was radiating concern and worry, but had none of the awful mix of colors that came with deceit. "Where are the others? And how long have I been asleep?"  
  
"They are waiting for Tamahome to return from Kutou with the Universe of the Four Gods. He went back because he was the only one who could get past the guards. As for you, you've been asleep for nearly a day."  
  
"He went WHERE? I slept for a DAY!? That's impossible! I-" //I would have had too many nightmares to sleep that long.//  
  
"You were dead! Gods, Kizuka, I saw you! You collapsed just as Tamahome came back to himself. You weren't breathing, you didn't have a pulse. And then! Then you started to glow and-" He was beginning to get frantic in his attempt to show her what danger she had been in.  
  
"Calm down, Chiriko." Kizuka scooted over and placed a comforting arm around the boy. "I'm fine. Genbu used his power to save me." She could feel his shoulders shake with suppressed sobs. "At least I got a good night's sleep."  
  
Amiboshi had to laugh at her attempt to lighten the mood. After a few more moments to compose himself, she shooed him out of the room so she could change. He leaned against the rail of the walkway. She had looked better than before. The dark circles were gone from under her eyes, and she was more relaxed then he had seen her since the disastrous rescue effort. He wondered if she had slept more that a couple of hours at a time since then.  
  
His musings were interrupted by an itching on his arm that signaled his brother. Casually resting his arms on the railing he glanced down at he arm.  
  
^Can you talk?^  
  
^Hai.^  
  
^What the hell is going on? Tamahome just stole The Universe of the Four Gods back! Why didn't you warn us?^  
  
^Did you catch him?^ Amiboshi asked tentatively.  
  
^No, he just breezed in here and back out again.^  
  
Amiboshi felt a momentary relief that the plan had worked, then immediately felt guilty. He wasn't supposed to care about the fates of the Suzaku. But he couldn't help feeling glad that Miaka's love was ok. The priestess had wormed her way under his defenses and he found himself worried about all the seishi's welfare.   
  
^Aniki?^  
  
^Gomen...I was just...thinking. I couldn't find a moment to talk to you warn you. I had to show concern for Kizuka and Tamahome.^ He winced at the lie, but knew that Nakago was probably watching. His suspicions were confirmed in the next sentence.  
  
^It's up to you now, aniki. Ganbatte.^ If his brother had been alone he would have teased Amiboshi a little for falling for a girl, then would have said something about missing him. Amiboshi's brow creased in thought. It seemed like ever since he came to the Suzaku, Nakago had slowly been influencing and corrupting his brother, making him angrier, colder. It wasn't any comfort to discover Nakago's lies. Amiboshi saw nothing of the cold hearted, vengeful priestess that Nakago had described. She was immature, yes, but she was barely older than himself. All of the anger, the need for revenge, the selfish disdain for the feelings of others seemed to come from the Seiryuu side. He was in the uncomfortable position of liking his enemies far more than his allies.   
  
He shuddered when he remembered how Kizuka had stood against Nakago's creation. He had known she was tired from helping Hotohori. His ability to manipulate chi also allowed him some limited ability to sense chi. Although he would never be as good as Nakago, he could sense that Kizuka was dangerously low when she started to feed chi to Tamahome. He had wanted to scream at her to stop, to help her out, to do something, anything, but he was frozen by his own indecision. His knowledge came through intensive training; to give any help to Kizuka now would blow his cover as an untrained boy. When he felt her put the last bit of chi into her fight, when he felt her die, he did scream. His cries were covered by the others' shouts of joy over Tamahome, and he ran to her. It amazed him that she would be willing to give up her life for someone she had never met.  
  
He thought back on his brother's words. It was, indeed, up to him. The problem was, he was no longer sure what to do.  
  
* * *  
  
As Kizuka changed clothes she thought long and hard about what to do next. //They think that they have everything for the ceremony, but they don't. The imposter is still here.// She bit her lips as she thought.  
  
//You could fix that. Kill him now, and all your troubles will be over. The ceremony will be saved.// The voice offered its own unique solution.  
  
//But he's just a boy!// Kizuka, for some reason, was quick to defend the imposter.  
  
//He is a Seiryuu,// the voice pointed out practically. //He would do the same thing to you given the opportunity.//   
  
//I'm not so sure of that. The imposter was truly concerned about me.// She offered up a feeble defense at best.  
  
*Why do you insist on calling him "the imposter" or "the Seiryuu"? My seishi does have a name, you know.* Seiryuu was getting annoyed at her constant degrading of his seishi.  
  
//I know, Seiryuu. I haven't decided what to do yet, and I am worried that I'll give him away without meaning to if I start to think of him as Amiboshi, even in my head.// She tried to calm the God down. She did not need another argument in her head.  
  
*Why do you protect him?* Seiryuu was honestly curious.  
  
Kizuka, uncomfortable with the answer to that question, changed the subject quickly. //Why did you save me from Nakago?//   
  
*He was using power he shouldn't have had. I cut off that power. That doing so allowed you to escape was incidental.* Seiryuu spoke quickly and efficiently.  
  
//I thought you couldn't directly control your seishi's powers until you were summoned.//  
  
*It took a great deal from me to do so.* His voice was the smallest bit embarrassed. *That is why I have been...unavailable...for a while. There is an ancient evil in the world that I believe is resurfacing, and Nakago's newfound talent is evidence of that.*  
  
*Don't believe him, Kizuka. He is trying to distract you.* For once Byakko managed to sound more towards his age. *He tried to do the same thing to my seishi.*  
  
Seiryuu was annoyed by the interruption. *I gave Nakago power to manipulate chi, but it needs a physical object to focus on. Someone else gave him the power to be able to harm Kizuka. Who do YOU think it was?*   
  
*Liar! Liar!* Byakko apparently couldn't hold on to the maturity for long.  
  
Kizuka sighed. //If you two are going to continue to argue, please do it somewhere else. I am going to talk to the rest of the seishi and I don't need a distraction.//  
  
With barely an acknowledgement the Gods faded in her mind and Kizuka stepped out the door. The imposter was a problem to be kept in the back of her mind for now.   
  
Amiboshi started when Kizuka opened her door, then quickly covered his arm to hide any remaining telltale marks of his brother. "Are you ready?"  
  
"Hai. Let's go to the others."  
  
* * *  
  
"What I don't understand is how Tamahome was able to overcome the koduku? Hell, even Mitsukake admitted he couldn't do nothin'" Tasuki was complaining as Kizuka and Amiboshi walked in.  
  
"Perhaps the wound that Hotohori gave to Tamahome decreased his chi enough for him to overcome the poison, no da."  
  
Amiboshi open his mouth to correct the matter, but he was interrupted by Tasuki. "Ohh! So Miaka's love went an' destroyed th' last of its power!"  
  
"Let us not forget...Tamahome's love for Miaka." Hotohori gazed out at the stars.  
  
"Tasuki no baka! Heika-sama was listening!" Nuriko defended his saddened emperor in the best way he knew. He whacked Tasuki on the head.  
  
As a small fight broke out among Tasuki, Chichiri, and Nuriko, Amiboshi tried again to point out Kizuka's role in the fight, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to see Kizuka shake her head, then nod at the emperor. Taking the hint for now, and remembering his now hated duty, he slowly approached the emperor.  
  
"Would you like for me to play my flute, Heika-sama?" He said hesitantly.  
  
"Hai. A song would be nice." The emperor was grateful for the interruption of his gloomy thoughts.  
  
Kizuka sighed as the imposter's attention was diverted to Hotohori. As the first notes reached her ears she closed her eyes and relaxed. No matter what one might say about the God Himself, He created a beautiful musician with this one.  
  
*Thanks, I think.* Seiryuu's voice was wry.  
  
Kizuka smiled and opened her eyes, at peace with the world for the first time since taking this duty. She laughed outright at Chichiri and Nuriko, who were still hitting a protesting Tasuki. Her sparkling eyes traveled to the flutist by the window. All of a sudden her eyes widened and she snapped straight to attention. Traveling from the Seiryuu to each person in the room, each person except for her, was a line of dark blue chi. He was feeding his chi into all who could hear! She stood up and started to back slowly away from the Seiryuu and out of the room.  
  
Nuriko glanced up, startled by her movements. Kizuka was staring in shock and horror at Chiriko and slowly backing away. He glanced back at Chiriko, but the boy was innocently playing his flute. "Kizuka," he asked in puzzlement, "What's wrong?"  
  
Kizuka jumped as if his soft question had been a slap. Her eyes snapped to his. "Ohh! Nothing! It's just late, and I was gonna head to bed. If the ceremony's tomorrow, I will need my rest." With that she turned and ran. She stumbled only a little as she reached the walkway, but she didn't let it stop her as she lifted her skirts, kicked off her shoes, and ran full out down the corridor. She barely noticed as she nearly ran over someone in her panicked flight.  
  
Houki was just rounding the corner after observing (well...spying on) the emperor, when her friend ran past, barely missing her. She stood there watching her go and wondering what could have occasioned such a flight. She managed to stop Kourin as she came running in pursuit.   
  
"Kourin? What's wrong with Kizu-chan?"  
  
Nuriko paused in surprise and at the sound of that name. When Kizuka had run out the room like she had the hounds of hell at her heels, he of course had followed her to see what was wrong. However, Kizuka's problems paled in comparison to the situation immediately before him.  
  
"Houki! What are you doing outside the Harem?!" He was shocked at her behavior. Usually Houki only acted up when he was around to encourage her.  
  
Houki colored a bit, reminded of her own situation. "Did you honestly think that you were the only one to sneak looks at the emperor?" She asked with a smile. "After you left it was up to me to keep up the tradition. After all, you could see the emperor everyday. It's only natural that your copy would want to do the same."  
  
Nuriko looked closely at Houki. "My copy? What are you talking about?"  
  
Houki, nervous under her friend's scrutiny, turned to face the garden. "It's just something that the other girls say. They whisper that now they know which one had to have been the copy, and an imperfect one at that. You are the seishi, you have the strength. I am obviously a copy, obviously only a simple peasant girl."   
  
She was surprised by two arms coming around her in a gentle hug. "Houki-chan, you are not now nor ever will be my copy. You are far stronger than I will ever be, to continue loving and hoping when there is little chance the emperor will ever know you. I, at least, knew that I would have some contact with the emperor as a seishi." He turned her around and gently wiped the tears from her eyes. "How do you do it? How do you continue to love so purely against all reason, hope, and logic?"  
  
Houki smiled, the first true smile in what seemed like months. " I always had you to lean on, and then Kizu-chan came only two months or so after you left. She faced down all of the vicious characters in the harem and managed to gain the attention of the emperor. If a girl who had been here only a few months managed to do it, why shouldn't I be able to?"  
  
Nuriko stared at her friend, amazed at her determination. Houki looked peaceful for a moment longer, then a frown creased her brow. "What happened to Heika-sama tonight, Kourin? He seems so sad."  
  
Startled, Nuriko followed Houki's gaze and saw the emperor, who in turn was watching someone over in the gazebo. To be more accurate, two someones, and they were kissing. He turned back to Houki.  
  
"Tamahome was released from a spell last night. The Miko is finally reunited with her love, and Hotohori has lost his forever."  
  
"And we can't even comfort him." Houki sighed. "We are pathetic, aren't we?"  
  
Nuriko sighed in agreement, but began to worry about his friend. Desperate measures were needed to liven the mood. He brought one hand up to his cheek and winked, bringing the other hand into a pinky grip with Houki. "We shall have to persevere! After all..." He waited for Houki to join the pose.  
  
When Houki mimicked Nuriko, the two burst out in comically exaggerated, though quiet, tones, "Who better to love, to comfort, to console the emperor than ones so pure, so beautiful, so perfect as ourselves!"   
  
Both of them dissolved into soft giggles as the mantra of past days was repeated. As her laughter faded, Houki suddenly hugged Kourin from behind, her arms wrapping tightly around her friend's waist and resting her head on Kourin's back. "I missed you so much, Kourin-chan. Why did you never come back to visit?"  
  
Nuriko flinched a little at the innocent question. Apparently no one had managed to mention little fact of his cross dressing to Houki. He wondered how she could have been oblivious to it. Granted, his disguise was good, but she had been around him for a long time. Then he realized that she had never touched him on the chest, and what with the dictates of fashion saying that women should be flat chested...it was entirely possible. The advisors, because of a slip of the tongue by Tamahome, had found out shortly after they had returned from Tai Itsukun's mountain, and had promptly forbidden him from entering the Harem again. He suspected that the only reason he could still parade around in a dress was the fact that he was a seishi, and it was frowned upon to kill them. "Ahh...they wouldn't let me go back into the Harem. Something about me being a seishi, I guess." He winced internally at the half-truth. Lies. . . his life seemed to be full of them.  
  
"However," he said, brightening, "that shouldn't stop me from sending you messages, since you say you're interested in seishi gossip..."  
  
"Oh yes! I would love something to liven up the Harem life."  
  
"Ok. Now, I have to go and see what wrong with Kizu-chan. Don't stay up too late mooning over the emperor."  
  
"Hai, hai!" Houki waved her friend off, smiling and laughing. When Kourin had turned the corner, Houki turned back to the emperor and sighed.  
  
"Never again, Heika-sama," she swore to herself. "If it lies within my power, you will never be unhappy again."  
  
* * *  
  
Kizuka slammed her door behind her and leaned on it, breathless and frightened. The revelations of the evening spun through her head in dizzy circles. Seiryuu's enemy, his rescue of her, the voice's suggestions on what to do with the imposter, the discovery of the imposter's spell...her mind tripped over that one, terrified for the seishi.  
  
//So he was concerned about you, ne? Concerned enough to poison your friends with his chi.//  
  
She groaned and sank to the floor. She did not have the energy to fight with the voice right now. //What do you want to torture me with now?//  
  
//Oh nothing really. I just thought I might point out that the innocent boy you've been protecting is poisoning the rest of your friends.// It was smug in its moment of triumph.  
  
//But he has done nothing that I can truly prevent. He has done nothing active.// Kizuka tried to put up a defense.  
  
//You're fooling yourself, girl.// The voice began to get agitated. //You know what he has planned. He is under Nakago's thumb!//  
  
//He's probably protecting his brother.// Kizuka was pulling at straws. //And you can't kill someone for only planning something!//  
  
//Did you forget that you are supposed to be protecting the Suzaku seishi? He's a Seiryuu!//  
  
//And he's my FRIEND!!//   
  
She practically shouted the last word in her mind, then gasped and opened her eyes wide, hands covering her mouth. With jerky movements she stood up and started to prepare for bed. She blatantly ignored the voice's attempt to argue again, and reviewed her relationships with the seishi. Chichiri had been fun to be around when he was pretending to be the emperor, but had basically ignored her when the other seishi came back. Mitsukake doubted her, Hotohori had shoved her aside, and Tasuki was either terrified of her or horribly rude to her. The miko was a selfish twit who had not spared her a second glance. Tamahome had to know that she had helped save his life, but wasn't there when she had woken up.  
  
And Nuriko? Nuriko knew her secret, and had never promised to keep it. She lay on top of her bed, curled into a fetal position, and laughed at herself. The only one she could come close to trusting in this crazy, messed up world was her enemy. Amiboshi.  
  
Some time later, Nuriko snuck into the darkened room to check on Kizuka. He found her, tossing and turning on top of the covers, moaning softly in the grips of a nightmare. He lifted her up gently and placed her under the covers, tucking her in. He sat by her for a while, stroking her back to calm her, keeping the nightmares away until she was once again resting peacefully. He sighed as he left, and swore to find out what was bothering her in the morning.  
  
* * *  
  
As before, it was black.  
  
Knowing what was going to happen, she was not comforted by the darkness. Her every sense was hyped up as she strained for some sign of her enemy. He had retreated for a bit in the face of a red angel that had appeared from nowhere, but now she was alone and she knew he would return. When he did come she was ready. Her defenses were up and she knew he couldn't touch her.  
  
Not that he didn't try. She laughed as the blue lightening bounced off her shields. Finally the man seemed to tire of this sport, and he sent out a blue tendril into the distance. She waited, unsure about what was going to happen. The tendril slowly drew back, towing another blue being. This one was smaller than the man, and seemed to be controlled by the larger man. Slowly, seven threads spread out and encircled seven red forms that appeared in the distance. She felt the first stabs of fear.  
  
The seven red forms, fighting to escape, drew close to the smaller blue form. As they began to writhe in pain she tried to get to them. Her own shields, the things protecting her from the blue man, prevented her from approaching any closer. As she watched in horror, the smallest of the red forms flickered and died. Throwing common sense to the winds, she dropped her shields and threw herself between the blue boy and the remaining red forms. Her interference landed her in a world of pain as she felt her life force being drawn into the boy. The man laughed at her predicament and sent the blue lightening streaking toward her. She flinched and braced herself for the impact...   
  
Kizuka sat up, gasping. The dreams kept getting worse. She did not want to think about the newest addition to the dream, although she knew in the back of her mind what it represented. She drew in slow, deep breaths, waiting for her heart to calm down enough for her to be able to sleep again. Not that she wanted to face the dream again, but she needed what little sleep she could get to face the day tomorrow. When she was clam again, she slowly lay down and closed her eyes. Blue lightening flashed across the back of her eyelids and she snapped back awake, fear pumping in her veins.  
  
//I am never gonna get the sleep I need like this.//  
  
Dimly she remembered old lessons from her father. If meditation and calming techniques don't work on problems of the mind, use the body. Get the body so exhausted that it take over the mind and sleep will come. //It's time for some exercise.//  
  
She got out of bed and pulled a robe on over her nightclothes. She then remembered an essential flaw in her plan. She had nothing to work out in. Courtesan's robes were very beautiful, but not meant for serious exercise. She did not have Nuriko's experience in fighting in dresses. //I really have to thank you again, Tai Itsukun, for providing me with such elaborate dresses. The size is especially wonderful.//  
  
*Hey! It's not my fault that Nyan Nyan can't sew. Making clothes with magic is not an exact science!*   
  
Sighing, Kizuka exited her room. She used the chi strings to see who was still up. Perhaps Nuriko would have something appropriate. Besides being the only one (other than Miaka) that came close to her in size, he also had the added benefit of being the only one awake at this hour.   
  
She pondered that as she traveled to his rooms. //What could keep him up so late, after all the others had gone to bed? And why was he so scared? Not scared exactly,// she thought, fingering the purple string of chi, //more worried and sad than anything.//  
  
Her train of thought was broken as she realized that she had been standing in front of Nuriko's door for several minutes. She raised her hand to knock when she heard it. Having spent several months without practical sight, her hearing had improved, so she doubted anyone else could hear the sounds. Someone was crying. Sobbing really; the sounds were muffled but there. She quietly pushed the door open and saw Nuriko on the bed, crying his heart out. She slowly walked across the room, being extra careful not to stumble over anything and betray her presence. Upon reaching the bed, she sat upon it, gently reached out, and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Nuriko? Daijoubu ka?"  
  
Nuriko started at the hand on his shoulder. Quickly wiping his face free of tears with his sleeve, he sat up and turned to the young woman on his bed. "Hai!" He said, smiling, "Don't worry, I'm fine!"  
  
"Ano...but you were crying." Kizuka was hesitant, not knowing if Nuriko wanted to talk.  
  
"Oh...I didn't wake you, did I? It's been a bad couple of days for me, with the anniversary of her death and your...revelation. I was trying to be quiet. Gomen-nasai, if I woke you." Nuriko spoke quickly hoping to distract Kizuka.  
  
"No, no. You didn't wake me up," Kizuka hastened to reassure him. "I came here for a different reason entirely, but-"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
Kizuka looked at Nuriko seriously. The seishi was still purple and blue from grief both old and new, but the sparkling yellow of false cheer was quickly taking over. It was obvious he did not want to talk about whatever was bothering him. Another dimly recalled lesson filtered through her mind. //A martial artist knows when to speak and when to be silent. Often one spoken word can betray you to the enemy, but the same word can save many lives.// Her father appeared to be giving her good advice tonight.  
  
"Kizu-chan?" Nuriko began to worry over the long silence. He really hoped she would take his hint and change the subject. He did not want to discuss the revelations that were still fresh in his mind. But Kizuka shook her head and gave him a smile.  
  
"Yes," Kisuka said, acquiescing to the unspoken request. "I just couldn't sleep and was planning on getting a little exercise. However, courtesan's robes are not all that appropriate for a workout and I was wondering if you had anything that might fit me."  
  
"Wai! Wai! I might! You are about my size, by our coloring is so different. I want you to look good! A female should always try to look her best!" Nuriko brightened visibly, this new distraction filling his mind instead of old sorrows.  
  
"Ano..." Kizuka was cut off was Nuriko forcefully grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the dresser. He opened a drawer seemingly at random and began flinging clothes everywhere.  
  
"Light blue? No...not with that dark hair. Orange won't look good with your skin, and yellow would distract from those gorgeous eyes. Ahhh...here we are!" He crowed, and then turned around to show off his choice, only to find Kizuka collapsed on the floor, rolling with laughter.  
  
She sat up, holding her sides in pain. Still giggling, out of breath, she said, "Its for a training session in the middle of the night! No one will see me! So why do you care about how it looks? I swear, sometimes you are more of a girl than I am!"  
  
Nuriko paused, and then began to giggle as well. "Well, I had to fool the servants, advisors, and others for so long that it is a hard habit to break. Now come on. Try this on." He held up the outfit he had been wearing when he had met her. "The red will match you skin tone, and the blues and yellow will highlight your hair and eyes."  
  
"Arigato, Nuriko." Kizuka turned around and slipped out of her clothes to try on the outfit that Nuriko tossed at her.  
  
"Hey! Warn me before you do that!" Nuriko blushed and turned away.  
  
Kizuka turned and winked. "Oh...so not quite all girl, ne?"   
  
"Mou...you're such a tease!" They both laughed as Kizuka gathered her discarded clothes.  
  
"Ne...I forgot to tell you, because you were asleep by the time I got in. Houki-chan says hi."  
  
"Nani? You know her?"  
  
"Of course. We were best friends and chief mischief-makers. At your service ma'am!" He straightened and saluted her.  
  
Kizuka giggled. This was certainly a different perspective than Suzaku had given her on the subject. //Chief mischief-makers? You somehow forgot to let that slip, Suzaku.//  
  
*It was not important to her qualifications as an empress.* His voice was haughty, and she could almost see Him turning up His nose at her.  
  
//Demo...mischief-maker?// Kizuka was insistent that Suzaku acknowledge this aspect of His chosen empress.  
  
*Hmph.* He grumbled *I'm hoping motherhood will mature her.*   
  
//Riiiight.// She knew now that He had known about Houki's inner child, and had loved Houki for it.  
  
*Why are you disturbing me so late, anyway? I need my beauty sleep!* Having let Kizuka win the argument, Suzaku was a little defensive.  
  
Laughing, she felt Suzaku leave her mind. She turned to leave, holding her gathered clothes in her arms. She was stopped by Nuriko's voice.   
  
"Ano...you might want to put down half of those clothes, they're mine. And you might want some more appropriate shoes."  
  
* * *  
  
Finally appropriately outfitted for a good workout, Kizuka dragged her blanket out to a fairly flat portion of the garden and began. She started with the Yang form of Tai Chi. The movements were slow and controlled, requiring extreme concentration and excellent control. Her father had started all her siblings out on this soft form of martial arts. Done properly, the short form could take up to an hour, and leave even the most fit of athletes who were not familiar with it in a winded state. She did the long form. Twice.   
  
After that brief warm-up, she went into one the lighter routines that her father devised specifically for her. Every Miharu started with Tai Chi, but then a routine was tailored just for them. As she spun and kicked, weaning through the complex kata as graceful as any dancer, she thought about what to do with Amiboshi. Obviously he was planning something, and whatever it involved did not include her. He also seemed to care for her, or at least was concerned about her if he to got so emotional over her "death"   
  
She finished her own katas and smoothly transitioned into her elder brother Toji's. He was around the same size as her, but more powerfully built, so his katas emphasized powerful punches and kicks. Power. Strength. Nuriko. He was a problem as well. He knew her secret, which gave him a powerful hold over her. He did not seem inclined to reveal it, but he had not promised to keep it, and that worried her. Nakago had spies everywhere, and a weakness like hers could be easily exploited. She could defend against his most powerful chi attack, but not a knife in the dark.   
  
She was beginning to tire as she finished Toji's katas and transitioned into Rei's. Doing the others routines required more concentration than she normally put into her own. Rei was significantly taller that her, and concentrated on throwing weapons and defense. Instead of avoiding attack, as her katas did, Rei used her height to advantage in creating defenses, shielding herself from airborne missiles. Shielding. She had never been good at shielding others. Even in her training with Tai Itsukun she had trouble forming a shield around other things than herself. She had to put herself between the danger and the object, usually Nyan Nyan, creating the barrier around both of them. That wouldn't work for protecting the seishi, because Amiboshi had not affected her. Perhaps if she...she froze in the finishing position of Rei's kata. That idea was suicide. It was folly. Only a complete and utter fool would even attempt such a measure. It was possibly the only course left open to her.   
  
Breathing heavily now, she rose and began Shinji's kata. It was the most difficult, for it relied on both lightening speed and power, but she went through the motions mechanically, thinking of all aspects of the idea. She could redirect Amiboshi's chi in all of the seishi so that it would go through her first. It was manipulation of Amiboshi's chi and therefore forbidden by oath, but perhaps she could get him to agree to it without knowing what he had agreed to. Shinji's style of martial arts depended on tricking the opponent into thinking that the style was predictable. Once the trap was set, it invariably worked out that the opponent would send a punch into empty air, making it very easy to defeat him.  
  
Plan decided, she concentrated more on the kata, speeding up until her arms became a blur. About halfway through the kata she mis-stepped and went sprawling to the ground. Her body refused to get up again, and she slowly inched her way over to the blanket, exhausted and aching. As she collapsed into sleep, she wondered how many times she would have to complete the exercises again because of the nightmares  
  
* * *  
  
The answer was three times. The dreams would not let her sleep more than a couple of hours without waking her, and each time she had to do at least some of the workout to become so exhausted that she could fall asleep again. The only good thing was that she had to do less and less of the katas each time in order to exhaust herself. The last time she couldn't even make it through her own.  
  
This time she was woken up not by the nightmare, but by someone shaking her. She sat up, still fuzzy from sleep, and glared blearily at Amiboshi.  
  
For his part, Amiboshi had no idea why Kizuka was out here, in the middle of the gardens, asleep. She looked like she had had a very rough night. The dark circles were back under her eyes, and she was blinking at him as if she couldn't really see. Realizing that they had been sitting and staring at each other for quite sometime, he blinked and broke the silence. "What are you doing sleeping out here, Kizuka?"  
  
She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and said, "I had trouble sleeping last night, so I decided to work out a bit. I guess I must have fallen asleep out here."  
  
Amiboshi could come up with only one explanation for her sleeplessness. "Were you worried about the ceremony?"   
  
"No..." She didn't know why, but the story came pouring out. "Well yes, I am nervous about the ceremony, but that is not why I couldn't sleep. Ever since Nakago pinned my chi in Kutou, I have had horrible nightmares that keep me awake."  
  
"Oh! Why didn't you tell me! Tonight I will play for you to keep the nightmares away!" As he said that he winced. Today was the summoning ceremony. By tonight all of her friends would be either dead or driven insane. He doubted she would accept his help after that.  
  
"Arigato, that would be much appreciated." He helped her up, gathered the blanket, and they began to walk back to the palace. About halfway across the field where he had found her there was a small decorative stone. It was barely ankle high, but clearly visible, and Amiboshi moved to avoid it. Kizuka ran right into it and fell to the ground.  
  
"Are you ok?" He asked worriedly.  
  
"Hai," she said as she picked herself up into a seated position. "Just clumsy, I guess."  
  
"No, you're not. You're one of the most graceful people I know." He watched her as she stared blankly at the rock.  
  
Kizuka winced. He couldn't know about her weakness. She could not let Nakago find out and Amiboshi had to be reporting to him somehow. "I hate to destroy your illusions, but even a dancer is clumsy after a night of little sleep." She sat, staring at the ground, willing him to accept her response.  
  
They sat like that for a while, Amiboshi behind Kizuka, then he sighed. "I don't believe you. The reason that you tripped over that stone was because you couldn't see it. Don't lie to me please." He couldn't stand more lies in his life.  
  
"Prove it."  
  
He sighed again. "I already have. I've been waving my flute in front of you face for the past few minutes."  
  
Cursing Amiboshi and his metal flute she gritted out, "Yes. I am blind. I cannot see things that have never lived. What are you going to do about it?"  
  
Amiboshi blinked. "Nothing really. I just wanted you to tell me the truth."   
  
He wanted anyone to tell him the truth. It was refreshing.  
  
Kizuka gave him a hard stare, but he was being sincere. He really wasn't going to tell Nakago about her weakness; at least he wasn't planning to right now. She let him help her up. "I am sorry for being so sharp. I have just been warned time and time again that no one can know about my weakness, so it can't be exploited. Nuriko found out a little before the fight with Tamahome, and now you...Surely you understand why I was snappish."  
  
"Hai. Its ok."  
  
"Arigato. Don't tell anyone else, though, onegai? Once too many people know it is bound to get back to Nakago, and then I am as good as dead."  
  
"I won't tell anyone." He smiled to himself at the thought of her relying on him not to let it get to Nakago. She really was a little clueless.  
  
"Honto-ni?" She put as much doubtful pleading into her tone as she dared.  
  
He winced under her hard stare. It felt like she could see straight into his soul. She could, he remembered suddenly, blinking, because she could see his chi. He suddenly wondered if she could see somehow that he was a Seiryuu. If she knew about him...but she couldn't, for she had done nothing. Besides, this woman deserved his respect, for facing down both Nakago and the evil Tamahome while blind. "Hai, I will keep your secret."   
  
Kizuka blinked, satisfied. He had wavered for a second, but now she was sure that he would keep his promise. They completed their walk to the palace, talking of idle things.  
  
By the time they reached the building, she could hear the others in the dining hall. They joined most of the others for breakfast. Miaka and Tamahome were not there, but joined them shortly thereafter.  
  
"The ceremony's today! I get hungry just thinking about it." Miaka was bright and cheerful again because Tamahome was safely back.  
  
Kizuka blinked. Half of the food on the table, which she had privately considered overfull before, had suddenly disappeared. She glanced around, but the others seem to consider this normal so she didn't make a comment of it. She did notice, however, that Tasuki seemed not to be eating at all. She leaned over to him. "Are you ok?"  
  
"Bah...Just the sight of this baka makes me nauseous." He indicated Tamahome with a jerk of his head.  
  
Tamahome gave up ignoring the bandit's rudeness. "I don't get it! We just met and already you hate me!"   
  
"Just met! What the fuck!" He spluttered for a bit. "Who the fuck do you think gave me all these fuckin injuries!?"  
  
As they began to fight, Nuriko looked up and casually lifted a plate out of harm's way. He cooed, "Aww...look! They're best friends already."  
  
Kizuka chuckled, then turned to Mitsukake and whispered, "No matter how he behaves, you might was to heal Tasuki fairly quickly." She winced as Tamahome landed a particularly powerful punch. "I can't take much more of this."  
  
"Nani? You're still so closely connected that you can feel his pain?" Mitsukake darkened with worry.  
  
"I have it as light as possible," she reassured him, "but with the extent of his injuries some pain is going to come through."   
  
They were interrupted at this point by a rather startled shout from Miaka, "A WOMAN?!"  
  
Kizuka turned to see Miaka facing Nuriko, her colors swirling madly. Nuriko's chi was churning only slightly less in embarrassment. "Your eyes don't have to bug out so much," he said quietly.  
  
"Besides," he said, adopting a more cheerful pose and voice, "someone has to heal Heika-sama's broken heart!" He turned to grin and wink at the others, who for the most part groaned and looked as if they were contemplating throwing food at him. Kizuka was looking at him sadly. No...not at him exactly, more like over his shoulder. He couldn't look at that golden gaze for long.  
  
To break what had suddenly become for him a tense moment, he called out, "Hey! If anyone has wishes they want granted, Miaka's taking requests!"  
  
"Nani!?"  
  
* * *  
  
After the fiasco of Nuriko's announcement, Mitsukake and Amiboshi joined Kizuka out on the walkway. She had left when the clamor over wishes had gotten particularly bad.  
  
"Didn't you want a wish, Kizuka?" Amiboshi asked.  
  
"I have nothing to wish for. My family is safe and loves me, and I have a duty from the gods to fulfill. What did you wish for?" She was curious about Amiboshi's reaction.  
  
His chi twisted a little in guilt, but there was no hint of it in his voice as he said, "I told her to ask that He keep my brother safe."  
  
"Your brother? But I thought you were the only survivor of your village!" Mitsukake was confused.  
  
Amiboshi chose his next words carefully. "I am the only one that's safe, that I know of for sure. The soldiers killed my parents in front of my...hiding place, but my brother and I...were separated before that. I don't know if he is...safe or not."  
  
Kizuka was startled. That speech was all truth. Well, the piece about he and his brother being separated at the time of his parents' death was a lie, but that was minor in comparison to the truth of the worry over his brother. From what she knew of the Seiryuu told to her by Tai Itsukun, his brother should be relatively safe, in Kutou with...Nakago. Oh.   
  
She was broken out her reverie when Amiboshi turned to Mitsukake and asking him about his wish.  
  
"I wished to bring Shoka back."  
  
Kizuka winced and said very gently, "Not even Suzaku can do that, without a body. From what the others have told me, she's been dead for over a year. You would be too late."  
  
"WHY?"   
  
Kizuka was surprised at the amount of anger that flashed though Mitsukake with that one word. "Why should I always be too late? Why does Suzaku, Kami of Love, prevent his chosen seishi from ever having that love?"  
  
By this time she could hear the despair in his voice as he turned to look out onto the gardens. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I could ask Suzaku that, if you want."  
  
"Hmph. As if we would get an answer." Mitsukake had lost faith in the effectiveness of prayer since she had died.  
  
"You just might." As he turned to her in wonder, she closed her eyes and sought the feminine protector of the South. //Suzaku? Did you hear his questions?//  
  
*Why is it that you always ask the tough questions, dear?* His voice was gentle as He thought about His answer  
  
//Just lucky, I guess.// She grinned cheekily.  
  
She opened her eyes to find both Amiboshi and Mitsukake gazing at her, their surface chi completely taken over by the light blue of awe. She grinned, "I get to speak for Suzaku, since He doesn't have the power to speak to you directly. He says that this will probably be a long explanation, so please, don't interrupt."  
  
She paused, then began to speak as Suzaku spoke in her mind. "The four Gods, before they are summoned, have very little practical power to affect the countries that they are supposed to protect. What power they have is used for general purposes and entirely based on the faith of the subject. The only thing they can control is the calling of the Miko and her seishi. The Gods cause them to be born and can direct their early lives, so that they can more accurately represent the Kami. Byakko chose to shelter his seishi, keeping them from experiencing any negative emotions connected to their symbols. All of the Byakko Shichiseishi feel an intense joy when they serve their God. Genbu tried a different tactic, and treated each of his seishi separately. He had them on a scale from shattered hopes to blind optimism. We didn't know this at the time, but Seiryuu crated his seishi in secret, for only he saw the coming of the Seiryuu no Miko. From the tribes abandoned by the Gods and the depths of the four countries he created them and twisted them with hate. Hate for themselves, hate for outsiders, hate for even the Gods, for hatred fuels the Kami of Anger.   
  
"When it cam to be my turn, I decided on something different. I had Genbu and Byakko as examples, but wanted to put forth a new idea. Instead of directing you in any way, I simply let you live, and loved you. You were the most precious things to me, and I grieved with you grief, and laughed with your joy. It may not have created the most powerful of seishi, but love does not need to be powerful to have the most power in the end. In answer to your first question, Mitsukake, it is not my fault that you arrived too late, no more that it is your fault, or hers, or the fault of the people in the next village that you went to save. I had refused to look into the future, and still do, to avoid the temptation to interfere in you lives. By the time I realized what would happen, there was little I could do except make sure that the sickness-demon was there so that, if both of you were strong enough, you would have the chance to say goodbye. But think of this. If you had been there to save Shoka, then you could not have save so many in the other village, and they would have died. Could you, as a doctor, have lived with yourself for being the indirect cause of so many deaths? It is a cold comfort, but all I have to offer."   
  
Kizuka paused for breath. "That's all that Suzaku has to say. Did it help any, Mitsukake?"  
  
He was silent for a long time. "I need to think," he said finally.  
  
She nodded. When Amiboshi began to play, she winced a little, but controlled her reaction. //Arigato, Suzaku-sama, for taking the time to answer his questions.//  
  
Suzaku voice was almost a whisper as he held back tears. *Arigato-gozaimas, Kizuka, for allowing me to.*  
  
* * *  
  
"The ceremony itself is very simple, no da. We will stand in a circle around Miaka as she recites the incantation. She then throws the scroll into the fire and Suzaku appears." Chichiri glanced up as Kizuka, Mitsukake, and Chiriko walked into the room.  
  
"Honto? That's all there is?" Miaka stared at him with wide eyes.  
  
Hotohori took over the explanation. "You will take a purifying bath before the ceremony, but essentially that is it."  
  
"What is the incantation?" Chiriko asked.  
  
"It is read from the scroll, no da."  
  
"Naaani? I can't read the writing of this world! The characters are way too hard. I would make a mistake for sure!"  
  
Everyone sweat dropped. This was an unforeseen problem. The scrolls did not say what would happen if the priestess couldn't read. Kizuka sighed. //No matter how much you love her, Suzaku, you really chose a ditz for a miko.//  
  
*I chose her for her potential, not her specific abilities. I might point out, dear, that Tai Itsukun did the same with you.* Suzaku reminded her of her place.  
  
Kizuka blanched at the reminder and began paying attention to the conversation again.  
  
"...ne, Kizuaka?" Miaka said.  
  
"What? Gomen, I wasn't paying attention."  
  
"Hotohori was wondering if you had a part to play in the ceremony, and I said that of course you did." She smiled at the Guardian cheerfully.  
  
"I am not sure; lets me ask." She concentrated. //Suzaku?//  
  
*Of course you get a part, dear. You're the only one who knows about Amiboshi! You're treading a very thin line by letting the ceremony continue. You have to be there in order to stop it in time!* Even Suzaku, normally fairly even tempered, was getting nervous.  
  
She winced at the nonverbal blasting, then spoke. "Hai, I am to give a blessing of protection to each of the seishi and the priestess, and stand across the fire from Miaka."  
  
"You're going to bless us?" Amiboshi was unsure if that would work for him.  
  
Kizuka glanced at Amiboshi. "Yes. I will need to touch each of you seishi symbols and put a little of my chi into yours. During the ceremony you will focus you chi into the miko, so I will be there to protect against attack." //There Suzaku, does that make you feel safe? Whatever he decides to do to them will be done to me first.//  
  
*Very ingenious, dear.* Suzaku relaxed, sure in the belief that it would turn out alright.  
  
By this time the maids had arrived to escort Miaka to her bath, and the rest of the people broke up into smaller groups. Chichiri watched as Tamahome started to leave the room after Miaka, but Tasuki came and announced to the world that he was healed. That he did so while stomping on Tamahome's head was a subject immediately brought up by the offended party. He left them to their fight, and turned to Mitsukake. "Your doing, no da?"  
  
"Hai"  
  
"It was quieter before he was healed, no da," Chichiri said with a grin.  
  
Tasuki only had time for a quick, "What did you say?" before being drawn back into the fight with Tamahome. Chichiri watched Kizuka and Chiriko approach, carefully skirting the brawling seishi. There was a complex relationship. They seemed to be friends, and in fact Kizuka seemed closer to Chiriko than to any of the others. He felt a little put out, but with both of their duties he just didn't seem to be spending as much time with her since the rest came back. He was glad she had found another friend, however. Yet sometimes it seemed almost like she remembered something and became more hostile towards Chiriko. Her defensive walls went up. He couldn't quite understand it.  
  
"Are you excited about the ceremony, Chichiri?" Chiriko grinned at him in childish eagerness.  
  
He couldn't help smiling at the innocence of the youngest member of the seishi. Chiriko always seemed so concerned with the welfare of others, making sure that they were happy and playing his flute to cheer them up. It was very easy to like him. "Hai, na no da!"  
  
At this point Nuriko and Hotohori joined them. Nuriko was frowning a little and holding a small ball that was faintly glowing red. "What is it, no da?"  
  
"It's the crystal that Tai-Itsukun gave to us to help find the seishi. It just suddenly started glowing." Nuriko explained.  
  
"But we've already found the seishi, no da." Chichiri was confused.  
  
"Aww...the dern things busted, is all!" Tasuki had decided to grace them with his presence when Tamahome had finally run off to find Miaka.  
  
"It was a gift from the Creator of the world, Tasuki. It does not 'just bust', as you put it!" Nuriko was offended at the mere suggestion.  
  
"Well, that only leaves the one who has been carrying it, gay boy!" Tasuki laughed uproariously even as he ran from a now fully incensed Nuriko.  
  
Chichiri watch them go. "At least Tasuki has learned to run." He smiled at Kizuka, but her walls were back up, and she was frowning at Chiriko.  
  
After a moment of rather awkward silence, the group broke up to prepare themselves for the ceremony. Kizuka followed Hotohori, intending to tell him about the unknown enemy that Seiryuu talked about. "Hotohori-sama?"  
  
He turned and looked at her, and she recoiled from the grief she saw on his chi. The deep blue had almost entirely taken over the more normal colors of his chi. "What's wrong?" She asked without thinking.  
  
"Nani? What should be wrong? Today is the day that Suzaku is summoned and our country will be protected forever. Today is the day that we fulfill our long awaited destiny. What cause have we to be sad?" Kizuka watched, amazed as the crystal outer layer hardened and thickened.  
  
"Hotohori, you forget that I can see your grief." She chided gently. "Would you like to talk about it?"  
  
"Talking would not help." His voice was bitter. "It would not change the Miko's choice."  
  
//Ahhh...// "But it might change your loneliness. You do have others that love you, even if that love can never be fulfilled. You have friends that worry about you, that want to see you happy. If you bottle up everything inside, then you will be blind to those things right in front of you."  
  
Hotohori was silent for a moment. "You're right. I apologize for my rudeness. It's just...I can't talk about it right now. It is still too fresh."   
  
"I'll accept that for now." She agreed, knowing there was a time for silence. "But when you're ready, I am here to talk." ~No matter where I am.~  
  
Hotohori started, but she motioned to the maids that were waiting discretely to the side. He bowed slightly to her. ~It is high time we both got ready for the ceremony,~ he tried tentatively.  
  
She smiled to show that the message was received, then watched him head off. She felt her own clothing, limp from her midnight excursions. Suddenly she felt dirty and bedraggled. She headed off to make some preparations of her own. Everything, it seemed was as ready as she could make it.  
  
Arriving at her destination, she knocked hesitantly on the door. "Nuriko? I would like to return your clothing. Could I ask for more for the ceremony, since I don't have any that fits? If it's not too much trouble-"  
  
She was interrupted by an excited squeal from within as the door was flung open and she was dragged inside.  
  
* * *  
  
Kizuka looked at Nuriko nervously. "Are you sure about this?" She smoothed her hands over the kimono that Nuriko had given her. The fabric alone was richer that any other she had ever worn, and she could feel the intricate embroidery covering not only the upper layer, but the inner-kimono as well.  
  
"Hai, hai, you look gorgeous." Nuriko watched as she fussed. "Now stop patting you hair; you'll mess it up."  
  
"Its not my fault that I can't see it." Nuriko had braided ribbons into her hair, then pulled most of it into a high bun. Three braided loops hung from the bun, one forming a circlet in front and two to either side in the back. He had said at the time that the bun would lend her height by exposing her neck, but she felt vulnerable without the comforting weight of the single braid traveling down her back. "I still think that the sleeves are too long."  
  
Nuriko clucked like a mother hen. "They're supposed to be like that, now stop complaining, because we're there."  
  
The rest of the seishi glanced up as they walked into the antechamber to the shrine. Nuriko had maneuvered so that by the time the seishi had turned around, Kizuka was framed in the doorway. He stepped back to admire his work and the effect it was having on the rest of the occupants of the room. He didn't know why, but he had been particularly careful in choosing the outfit for Kizuka. Gold ribbons gleamed in her hair. Golden phoenixes flew up and down her midnight blue upper kimono, while the colors were reversed in the under kimono. A gold obi around her waist completed the ensemble. He grinned. For once Kizuka was playing the demure female, though that was probably more out of genuine nervousness than anything else. Not that she needed to be worried about her reception. He turned to the others, and if possible, his grin got wider. Every single one of the seishi were proving that yes, indeed, they were male, as they stumbled for words in front of a beautiful woman.  
  
Kizuka was the first to break the silence, glancing nervously down at her clothing. "What's wrong? I knew I shouldn't have let Nuriko talk me into this." She turned to leave.  
  
"NO!! Chotomatte!" Surprisingly, it was Tamahome that stopped her.   
  
She turned back around. "Yes?"  
  
"You-" he gulped and stumbled, struck dumb by the sudden beauty in her, "You look-"  
  
"What the fuck? Ya turned into a woman!" Tasuki, of course, chose that moment to be his usual elegant self. Nuriko refrained from his usual punch, because, while they weren't actually in the shrine itself, it was close enough to make him nervous.  
  
"Brilliant observation, Tasuki. What was I before? A fish?" Comments of that general nature surrounded Tasuki, as well as various expletives from him that were supposed to either defend or explain his actions.  
  
Under all the uproar, Kizuka heard Hotohori say, "As beautiful as my magnificent self." Kizuka rolled her eyes, but turned as the final member entered the room.  
  
"Wow...look at all the soldiers!" Miaka looked curiously at the brawling Tasuki and Tamahome.  
  
The two seishi untangled themselves and Tamahome went immediately to Miaka. Kizuka smiled. She had felt uncomfortable under Tamahome's admiration, but that was nothing compared to the utter love shining out through Tamahome's chi. She could tell that she was completely forgotten. She took a deep breath, fully relaxed now, rolled back her ridiculously long sleeves, and prepared to work. "Alright. I'll need to see you symbols to set up this protection circle."  
  
Nuriko groaned. Kizuka turned to him and winked, aware that she had ruined his carefully staged effect. However, her words had the intended effect of calming the seishi down and reminding them of the task ahead. Somber now, the seishi lined up in front of her.  
  
Tamahome was the first to come to her. She touched the wellspring of the Suzaku mark, the symbol on his forehead. She performed the spell to reroute Amiboshi's chi quickly, then, as she was expected to say something, spoke. "Remember that the Ogre is not necessarily needed; the human can take his place."   
  
Next was Hotohori. As she placed her hand on his neck, she thought about what advice she could give. "As you gaze at the Stars for happiness, do not be blind to what is at your feet."  
  
Nuriko gracefully pulled away fabric to reveal his mark. She steadied her hand over his heart and said, "You are strong, but the Willow can be deadlier when it bends."  
  
Chichiri had a little more difficulty in revealing his symbol, but Kizuka was finally able to kneel in front of his knee and say, "A closed, dry Well helps no one. Only when it is open and full is it at peace."  
  
Tasuki grinned and presented her with an already bared arm, clenched into a fist. She delicately enclosed his symbol in both her hands. "A broken Wing can be healed, but only if the bird has the courage to find the flock again."  
  
Kizuka moved down the line, taking Mitsukake's hand in her own. "The hands that heal have cause for joy as well as Sadness."  
  
Amiboshi had gotten increasingly nervous as Kizuka walked down the line. His fake tattoo definitely didn't glow like the others, and he felt certain the others would notice. But Kizuka moved in close, blocking the other's view with her body. Looking away from her eyes, he brought up his tunic to reveal the tattoo. Staring straight into his eyes, Kizuka lifted her had to hover over his shoulder, over his real symbol. Smiling she then let her hand drift down to the tattoo and rest there, cool on his suddenly overheated skin.  
  
"May the God that protects you lift you into High Spirits again."   
  
Kizuka then turned and headed into the shrine, the other seishi following. Amiboshi was frozen to the spot. //She knows! She has to, because she knew where my symbol was, and in her blessing she said the true name of my symbol, not Chiriko's! What am I gonna do?//  
  
"Chiriko?" Miaka was beside him.   
  
"Oh!" Amiboshi ran to take his place in the procession line. Miaka walked slowly down the live and joined Kizuka, who put her hand on the Miko's forehead in blessing.  
  
As the seishi took their places and the ceremony began, Amiboshi thought fast and furiously. Kizuka knew, and therefore she must die. But he couldn't kill her during the ceremony, and he had deliberately not put any chi into her. It was not specifically in his instructions to kill the guardian, and he had wanted to save at least one of his friends. He would now have to kill her, because he knew she would not give up the seishi's lives so easily. Why hadn't she done something before now? If she had said anything when they had first met, he would have been in prison at best. Had she known even then and remained silent? He suddenly remembered her exact words, "Am...Chiriko!" What he had taken as hesitation could have easily been the beginning of his name.  
  
The ceremony was halfway over now. He would have to decide quickly. He should stop the ceremony now and beg for forgiveness. He had a much better chance of being forgiven if the ceremony wasn't completely ruined. He looked across the room and caught the worried gaze of Kizuka. Maybe she would defend him, having kept his secret for so long. Decision made, he opened his mouth to speak, but felt the familiar itching on his arm. Suboshi. He hesitated again. If he failed in carrying out his instructions, Nakago would have no regrets in torturing Suboshi for it. Enough pain inflicted on one twin, and the other would feel it. He felt certain that Nakago knew just how much pain would be needed while keeping Suboshi alive for the precious Seiryuu ceremony. No, no matter what friends he had made here, he had to protect his bother. Decision re-made, he tried not to look into Kizuka's hopeful gaze again. It was for the best, wasn't it?   
  
When the ceremony had started, Kizuka was wound so tight she wondered how she could breathe. Suzaku was right; she was treading a very thin line. If she as a second too late in stopping the ceremony, it would be ruined. Yet she wanted to give Amiboshi the most opportunity to confess on his own. It would be easier to restrain the seishi's reaction if it was Amiboshi who confessed, rather than her who accused.  
  
*But you will stop it in time, won't you?* Suzaku was getting worried for the second time that day.  
  
//Hai, hai.// Kizuka gazed worriedly at Amiboshi. He looked up and caught her gaze. His chi calmed as he came to a decision, and she felt more than heard his indrawn breath as he started to speak. All of a sudden, his tie with Kutou flared for the briefest of instants. Immediately his chi began churning again, and he refused to meet her gaze. All of a sudden she was grateful to Nuriko for the long sleeves of her kimono, as it allowed her to wring her hands in worry.  
  
*Kizuka, you have to stop this now!* Suzaku was desperate *The ceremony is drawing to a close.*  
  
//No! He hasn't quite made his decision.// She decided to give him a few more seconds. It was for the best, she hoped.  
  
Miaka breathed an inner sigh of relief when she finished the chant. The characters had been hard to read, but she had made it through with no mistakes, thanks to Chichiri. She raised her arm to cast the scroll into the holy flame.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: I will have another chapter out there soon (I hope), but this one's long enough for you to chew on for a while, ne? Professors and real life kinda sucked me in for a while, but I will spend more time on it, I promise.  
  
Note on Ideas: I give a shout out to Silver, my beta reader, who helped me come up with a blessing for Tasuki. Also thank you to Kryssa, who took time to read and roast my fic, which encouraged me to go back and improve it! Ideas were used from "Flames of the Pheonix" by Kryssa and "When Dreams Change" by cymberleah. Kryssa put forth the idea that Suzaku deliberately did not interfere with his seishi's lives, and that is why, of the God of Love's seven seishi, only one (Tamahome) finds love at the end. Cymberleah, a fanfic author in the Trigun fandom, gave me the idea of using exercise to help a character to sleep. I highly recommend both of these authors. A warning, though, for both. Only read if you have a couple of hours to spare. Both will suck you in and never let you go!  
  
Big thanks to reviewers! Thank you Draconsis, neko no hime, Otaku Pitcher, LaurelCrowned, Aeris, goku-chan, Ereinion, and Dreaming-Nightingale!  
  
Big thanks to Raye Johnsen, for your information on courtesan fashions in your story, "Starlit Relfections." The Houki scene is dedicated to you!! (Go read Raye Johnsen's fics now! They are gooood. The site is )   
  
Brief note of explanation: Otaku Pitcher's last review brought up an interesting point about Kizuka's love interest. At this point, Kizuka doesn't have a love interest, nor am I planning on it. (Yes, I know what you are thinking. An OC on FF.net that doesn't fall in love! Gasp! Shock! Amazement!) However, if anyone puts a strong plea in for their favorite seishi I might be persuaded to incorporate it. The only one I won't accept is Tamahome, because he deserves Miaka after all the crap he went through for her. (I probably won't accept Chiriko either, because she is 19 years old.)  
  
A note on Gods and gender (In other words, is Suzaku male or female): the Gods are both genders. Suzaku happens to be more female, because he/she represents the feminine. The characters refer to him as male because it is a male dominated society.  
  
Translators note: Chottomatte-wait, or stop; ne-right? Can also be an attention getter; Daijoubu ka- are you alright? Ka is literally a spoken question mark; aniki-older brother; wai-yea (usually only used by females); Gomen-nasai-I am extremely sorry; Honto-ni- really or are you sure?; Agriato-gozaimas-I am eternally grateful (very formal thank you)  
  
Mou- I am not exactly certain, other than it is an expression Nuriko uses a lot. Could someone tell me?  
  
Akugi!  
  
Winsong narrates: Kizuka wrapped her hands delicately around Tasuki's symbol  
  
Kizuka: (thinking) What advice do I give? He needs to grow up, but how can I say that in a beautiful, wise, and obscure way while using the word wing?  
  
*long pause*  
  
Kizuka: Grow up now or Suzaku will shove his Wing so far up your...  
  
Tasuki: *twitch twitch*  
  
Hehehe  
  
Wing-chan 


	7. The Truth of the Light

Disclaimer: I no own. Idea for Mitsukake's magic is from Quicksilver, and is used with her permission :) I no own Star Trek either, and bonus points to anyone who can guess where I quoted from one of the Star Trek movies!  
  
Warnings: Tasuki language, death, major bad ass fights, and spoilers for the end of the first season on.  
  
"..." - Human speak  
  
//...// - Thought speak  
  
*...* - Godspeak  
  
~...~ - Telepathy  
  
Seeing Beyond the Light:  
  
Chapter 6: The Truth of the Light  
  
Previously on Seeing Beyond the Light:   
  
Miaka breathed an inner sigh of relief when she finished the chant. The characters had been hard to read, but she had made it through with no mistakes, thanks to Chichiri. She raised her arm to cast the scroll into the holy flame.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
And now, on Seeing Beyond the Light:  
  
Miaka jumped, startled by the sudden command. Her arm, poised in the motion of throwing, fumbled with the scroll. She let out an involuntary cry as she leaned forward to catch it...and missed.  
  
Kizuka looked at Miaka when she heard the miko cry out. She held her breath she watched Miaka struggle to catch the scroll, and then cried out as she shielded her eyes from the blast of chi as the scroll burned. She fell to her knees, wanting to cry in disappointment. She was just a second too late. She had failed.  
  
As one the seishi turned to the one who had disturbed the ceremony.  
  
Amiboshi stared in shock at Kizuka. He had waited too long, chosen to speak up too late, and the ceremony was ruined. He could feel the other seishi stares, but his eyes were transfixed by the sight of Kizuka, her head bowed in defeat. Tears started streaming unheeded down his face.  
  
"Chiriko?" Miaka turned confused eyes between the seishi and the Guardian. "Why did you tell us to stop?"  
  
Amiboshi clutched his flute to his chest and opened his mouth to speak, to try and explain. His eyes were suddenly caught by the burning fire. The bright orange called to him; the leaping flames mesmerized him. He stared, half hypnotized by the sight of the scroll burning. It drew him in, sucking him down into a hole. Before he realized it he was trapped, and he heard laughter. Horrible, mocking laughter that seemed to echo in his bones. As if he was an outside observer he heard himself begin to speak, harsh, horrible, heart-breaking words. The words were ripped from him in an unwilling torrent that he knew he would regret later. When he felt his hands raise his flute and begin to play, he looked desperately at Kizuka, trying to convey some of his inner torment.  
  
Kizuka was drawn out of her despair by Amiboshi's voice. "Foolish, foolish girl." The voice was hard, something she had never heard from him before. "You were fooled, Suzaku no Miko, fooled by my tattoo of Chiriko's character. You're too trusting, that's your weakness. And now it's your downfall. I am the Seiryuu seishi Amiboshi, and I will play the song that shreds souls."  
  
As he brought his flute to his lips Kizuka saw the churning of his chi. For the first time since the ceremony had failed she really looked at him. He didn't seem to be the Amiboshi she had grown to reluctantly like. His chi was twisted with the deep black red of hate, so much so that he almost looked like...she quickly checked her chi strings. Nakago's string was flowing directly through Amiboshi! He was directly controlling the younger seishi! Without thinking she stood and ran towards him, unsure of what she meant to accomplish. About halfway there she was struck down quite literally by the force of his music. This song was meant to drive one seishi insane, and she was channeling six and a miko. She fell to her knees, clutching her head in pain. Desperately she grabbed at Mitsukake's chi string as a life-line. The rest of the seishi were locked in place by the only remnant of the spell that she had left in place, but that didn't mean she couldn't communicate with them. ~Mitsukake?~  
  
~What is going on?~ His deep voice smoothed down her frazzled nerves like honey. ~Has Chiriko been possessed by some agent of Seiryuu?~  
  
~No~ she said hurriedly, her mental voice tight with pain. ~That really is Amiboshi. Listen. I know you don't have much energy right now, because of the ceremony, but I need you to concentrate just a little bit to me, to take the edge off the pain. You're going to have to trust me to control the flow, because if given the chance the spell would drain you as well. You need to keep some in reserve to heal me completely when this is all over.~  
  
~Hai.~ Kizuka heard the doubtful note in his voice and sighed, hoping that he would be able to trust her enough for this to work.  
  
She drew the tiniest bit of Mitsukake's chi into her own, drawing directly from the mark of Suzaku. She sighed in relief from the pain, then concentrated on Amiboshi. He wasn't struggling against the spell at all. She reached out tentatively. ~Amiboshi?~  
  
~Kizuka!~ he thought, panicked. ~Why are you being hurt? I protected you!~  
  
~The blessings,~ she said, hoping the practical note in her voice would cut through his fear. ~I redirected the chi when I gave the blessings.~  
  
~Why? I wanted to save you!~ She could feel the anguish in his tone.  
  
~And it is my job to save the seishi. Now,~ she thought briskly, to shock him out of his funk, ~I can break the spell, but you'll have to interrupt your song, if even for a moment.~  
  
~Why are you helping me? I'm a Seiryuu!~  
  
~You're a seishi, aren't you? And you're my friend.~ She was getting tired of his defeatist attitude. ~Now fight!~  
  
~I'll try.~ He winced as he heard Kizuka scream at a particularly harsh note. He struggled to hold his breath, to move his arms, to freeze his fingers, to do something to stop the horrible, awful music. It wasn't working. He felt the cold fingers of a foreign chi holding him fast. All of a sudden he heard another tune, other notes in a contrasting frequency.  
  
Kizuka felt Amiboshi's struggle. She wanted to give him help, but she was using too much energy fighting his spell and the pain it caused. The pain dragged at her consciousness, beckoning her into blissful slumber. It would be so easy. To let go, relax, stop fighting, to know comfort, peace, and security. It would be so easy. But Amiboshi was still fighting, so could she do any less?  
  
Suddenly she felt a disruption in the sound. It was slight, but it was there, and it grew. She took the opportunity it presented as the pain faded a fraction. In an instant she was within Amiboshi's chi, trying to figure out how to break the spell. When she realized exactly what she had to do, she paused. ~Amiboshi? I can break it, but to do so I'll break the connection with your brother.~  
  
~What?~ He was beginning to get tired from the fight.  
  
~You wouldn't be able to feel him as closely anymore. At least until I could set up the connection again. The reason that you were so close was partially because of this spell.~ She wanted him to be absolutely certain about his choice before he took it.  
  
Amiboshi paused. Not be able to feel his brother? He had always been able to feel him. Never as strong since he had trained with Nakago, but his brother had always been a comforting presence in his mind. The split second hesitation was enough for the spell to take over completely again. His alter ego played louder than ever, attempting to drown out the disturbance in frequencies. Kizuka screamed as she collapsed on the floor again, and his decision was made. ~Do it.~  
  
Kizuka fought back the pain, trying desperately to comply, but found herself almost numb.  
  
//You can't do this, you know.// her alter ego sneered. //The weak link in an otherwise strong chain, and they put you in defense of the seishi? Don't make me laugh!//  
  
//Shut UP! Shutupshutupshutupshutup...// Her mantra continued as she fought steadily against the pain. Suddenly she was there, amidst the connection again. With a snap the connection was broken, along with whatever threads of determination and fear that supported her through the ordeal. She found herself lying prone on the floor, unable to move.  
  
Tasuki had been seething in private rage ever since the beginning of the spell. The little punk had dared to hurt Kizuka! Figured that the Seiryuu would do something so underhanded and cheap. He reached back to get his Tessen, but found he couldn't move. He had been on a low boil ever since. When the playing stopped and he could move again, he never hesitated. Dimly aware of Mitsukake hovering over Kizuka, with the speed born of Suzaku he had his Tessen out and primed to fire. "Rekka-  
  
Kizuka began to feel better under the healing grace of Mitsukake. She squinted her eyes into slits to thank him, and frowned. The healing spell was the green of Genbu, not the red of Suzaku. His seishi mark was still red, but the chi coming out of his hand was definitely green. That thought faded in her mind as more pressing issues were brought to the foreground. Namely, a rush of wind that could only be Tasuki headed straight for Amiboshi. She had a split second to decide on her course of action.  
  
Amiboshi threw his flute away and collapsed to his knees, dimly aware of the other seishi running to attack him. It didn't matter. He had failed in his duty as a Seiryuu and a friend. Too indecisive to do anything, he had done nothing and would now pay the price. He bowed his head, accepting of whatever fate they would deal out.  
  
Suddenly he was no longer alone in his own body. Someone else was there, bonded as close as Suboshi used to be. Whoever it was threw themselves to the front, blocking him from attack.  
  
"- Shien!" Tasuki watched, satisfied, as the holy flame sprouted from the fan, moving to engulf the bastard. He started as Kizuka gave a blood curdling scream. He turned to see the girl twitching on the floor, mouth open in a now silent scream. He whirled to face the punk that was causing her such pain. To his surprise, instead of a twisted, blackened lump, as he had expected, the brat appeared to be perfectly alright. All of the seishi paused, confused.  
  
Into the silence they could dimly hear the former Chiriko's quiet sobs. "Kizuka... let go...I'm not worth saving. If they attack again..."  
  
"I will defend you again," came her quiet response, laced with pain. She slowly pulled herself to her feet and stumbled over to Amiboshi. She had been only partially healed by Mitsukake; not wanting to tax his strength, she had cut off his healing before taking Tasuki's fire. She only hoped that when this was over he would have enough chi left to heal her completely. Finally reaching her objective, she placed herself between Amiboshi and any attacking force. Dimly, her shield began to glow. She almost laughed at the pathetic nature of her shield. One good puff of wind could destroy it.  
  
"Why the hell are you defending that bastard?" Tasuki exclaimed, still unsure how his attack had failed. "And why the fuck is the little punk still breathing?"  
  
Kizuka turned to Tasuki, and he blinked, startled by the fierce cold in her eyes. He hadn't ever seen her like that, not even when she was facing down Tamahome. For a moment he was afraid that she would attack him. He didn't like that feeling.  
  
"Your friend," Kizuka bit out, "is still breathing because I put myself between him and your attack. I made the connection between us so strong that I took whatever injuries you dealt to him." She finished her answer absently, more worried about her failing shield than anything else at this point. It would collapse if anything touched it at its current strength. She wondered if she could get away with bluffing. Currently the shield was nearly invisible, concentrating more on force than show. Creating light was much less draining, and far showier. She glanced around at the seishi. Chichiri might know the difference, but he didn't seem inclined to attack. She decided to risk it. Dropping her shield completely, she built another out of light, one that seemed to crackle with energy.  
  
Hotohori listened, appalled at her flippant answers to Tasuki's questions. That she would protect this traitor to the point of injuring herself was inconceivable to him. The enemy she was defending had just tried to kill her, for Suzaku's sake! The only way it made sense to him would be if she was a traitor as well. Things began to add up in his mind. She had stopped him from going to rescue Miaka when she was drowning, and those few seconds could have meant her life. She had tried to prevent him from fighting Tamahome, again blocking his duty of protecting the Miko. The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. He drew his sword to protect his priestess and his friends. A brightly glowing shield sprang up between Kizuka and the rest of the room. His worst fears were confirmed in the next sentence.  
  
"Kizuka!" Amiboshi called, afraid because he knew that she probably couldn't see it. "Hotohori's sword!"  
  
//Oh shit.// Kizuka's eyes widened as she stared at Hotohori. "I see it," she said for the benefit of her audience. In truth she couldn't see the sword itself, but she could tell that he was in an aggressive stance. //I need to concentrate on him completely if he attacks, but I'll be left open to any of the others. This is officially bad.//  
  
Nuriko froze when Hotohori drew his sword. He had started to run over to them, unsure of what he was going to do, but certain that he needed to help someone. That shield looked dangerous and Hotohori looked angry enough to try and break it. Kizuka looked on the verge of collapse.  
  
The tension built as the tableau froze. Hotohori still had his sword drawn. Amiboshi had stood up behind Kizuka, who was desperately trying to hold on to her fake shield. Mitsukake still knelt where Kizuka had first fallen, and the rest of the seishi were poised halfway into an attack. Miaka was the only one still in her original position. She felt more and more like an observer.  
  
Kizuka knew she didn't have much time left before her shield broke. She needed to break the tension somehow. "Why are you attacking him now? Up until five minutes ago he was your friend."  
  
"Yeah, well, five minutes ago he tried to fuckin' kill ya, damn it. Why the fuck are ya defendin' him?" Tasuki exclaimed, amazed at her unconcern over her brush with death.  
  
"It was my choice to put my life in danger." She was firm in her convictions. "I rerouted the chi, I left the bit in place that would keep you still. I knew the consequences of my actions when I gave Suzaku's blessing."  
  
"Why do you still defend him when he tried to kill you?" Miaka was openly curious.  
  
"Why did you defend Tamahome when he tried to kill you?" Kizuka finally began to get mad. "Because he is my friend. He was your friend too. You trusted him, confided in him." Slowly she drew herself up straight, looking directly at Hotohori, who had relaxed his stance only slightly. "Yes. I knew what was probably going to happen here. I wanted to give him a chance to stop it. None of you can truly understand the curse of this sight." She glanced around the room. "I can see everything about you. Everything. Your love, your friendship for each other. Every single one of you trusted him far more than me. Even though I saved you life in Koutu, even though I helped Tamahome fight off the poison, I could still see your doubt, your fear."  
  
She laughed bitterly at the confusion swirling through their chi. "Every single one of you either ignored me when I wasn't useful or doubted my abilities...except him. I never caught any fear from him; he never questioned my abilities. He even wished me luck when I started the rescue from Koutu. Yes, I knew he was a Seiryuu." She ignored the gasps of astonishment and plunged on, "I knew from the instant we met. But I also saw his doubt, his confusion. He was slowly giving his loyalty over to you, and I think the only reason that he did not speak up before now was that he was protecting his brother. Tamahome, you gave yourself up to Nakago on the mere suggestion that the army might come somewhere near your village. Can you blame him for keeping up the pretense in order to save his brother, who is currently in the Koutu palace, under Nakago's thumb? I waited because everyone deserves a chance for forgiveness."  
  
Tamahome looked ready to forgive them both, and with that last sentence Chichiri gave a start. Something about forgiveness must have gotten to him. She decided to remind everyone of a few facts. Her energy was running out. "He was going to stop the ceremony. He did stop it. He wouldn't have gone through with the plan." She slowly began to collapse, her shield finally dropping. "Don't you see? If the scroll hadn't burned then Nakago's spell couldn't have taken over. Don't you understand?" Her voice began to trail off as she collapsed to the floor. "He...wouldn't...have...done it..."  
  
"Kizuka!" Amiboshi ran and caught her before she hit the floor. He cradled her in his arms, looking for signs of life. Her eyes were dull and unseeing, and her breath came in short gasps. He turned desperate eyes to Mitsukake. "Will she be alright?"  
  
Mitsukake looked at the girl in Chiriko's...no...Amiboshi's arms. Kizuka was really bad. "I'm not sure if I have the energy left to heal her again. She has been controlling the chi flow of my healing so that I always had something in reserve, but now she is very low on chi. She would need a lot more for me to be able to heal her completely."  
  
Amiboshi nodded absently, thinking rapidly. He found himself staring at his flute, which he had thrown away when he had regained control of his body. He could...but there was no way she would have the absolute trust needed for that to work. Only his brother had ever trusted him that much. His attention was drawn once again to the girl in his arms. The gasps were getting shorter, and the spaces between were getting longer and longer. Her eyes began to roll back in her head. Terrified, he shook her gently. "Kizuka! Come back! Don't die on me now!"  
  
Startled, she blinked and managed to focus her eyes once again on her friend. Amiboshi breathed a sigh of relief, and gently placed her on the ground. It may not have much of a chance of working, but it was better than the certain death that was awaiting her now. He stumbled over to his flute. The reaction was immediate. All of the seishi save Mitsukake went on their guard.  
  
"What the hell are you going to do to her now?" Tasuki shouted.  
  
"If she can still trust me, I am going to save her life." Outwardly he appeared calm, but he was quaking with fear on the inside. He walked over and knelt beside her again. Stroking back her sweat dampened hair, he said in a gentle voice, "Kizuka? I am going to boost your chi so that Mitsukake can heal you. I will return your chi to you, but it will hurt. It won't work at all if you don't trust me and accept the chi. Do you understand? You have to trust me completely, or you could be hurt worse. If you reject the chi, you could die. I have to know-"  
  
"Ami...bo...shi...Stop...talking...and...play...damn it." The voice was weak, but it still had the spark of life that he had come to associate with her.  
  
He glanced across at Mitsukake. "I can only boost her chi for a little bit before it does more harm than good. You need to heal her to seal the chi back in." He barely caught the doubtful nod before he began to play. The song was slow, gentle, soft, and soothing, but Kizuka still twisted in pain. Tears stung Amiboshi's eyes as he watched her. There was a movement out of the corner of his eye, and he turned to find Nuriko kneeling down next to him and gently taking Kizuka's arms in his own. Chichiri came and knelt at her feet, holding her legs still.  
  
Kizuka had braced herself for the sound, expecting it to be loud and harsh. She was so surprised by the soft and soothing sound that she almost did not register the pain. It started out as a tingle, the kind that happens when an arm or leg goes to sleep, but it soon grew to be much more than that. Her muscles began jerking sporadically, and she gritted her teeth to keep from biting her tongue as the song went on and on and on...  
  
Suddenly the pain was gone, and she was once again cradled in the healing embrace of Mitsukake's chi. She opened her eyes and was again struck by the apparent contradiction of Genbu green with Suzaku red. She reminded herself to ask Genbu or Suzaku about that later, but for now the healing had stopped and she sat up. She felt just as good as she had before the disastrous rescue in Koutu. She got to her feet slowly, and noticed that Amiboshi had collapsed to the floor. Once again taking up a defensive stance, she hovered protectively over the fallen seishi.  
  
"No!" Miaka finally broke out of her paralysis and ran over to the guardian. "You will not harm him! He may be the enemy, but he is not evil! No one can be evil that produced such beautiful music to comfort us!"  
  
"I quite agree, Suzaku no Miko."  
  
Everyone turned around to see a child in the doorway. Kizuka watched the form enter and talk with the Miko while she tried to guess who this could be. The blue of loyalty, the light blue-green of innocence, and just a small portion of the purple of grief combined to give her an inkling of who it was, but the seishi stripe made it certain. It was red.  
  
"Chiriko!" The Guardian and the Miko voiced their conclusions at the same instant. The named seishi blinked owlishly at the situation. Most of the people in the room appeared to be surrounding a girl and a boy. The boy was kneeling on the ground, and through the rips in his shirt a blue seishi symbol was still faintly glowing. The girl was standing over him, as if to defend him from the others. The tension finally broke as a regal looking brown-haired man sheathed his sword. The child surmised that this must be the emperor from the elegance of his attire. The entire room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Chiriko pulled out a small leaf he had acquired on his brief but hurried journey to the shrine. Placing it to his lips, he played a short tune. The black-haired girl's eyes widened, and she dropped out of her defensive stance. Exchanging a glance with the boy on the floor, she took a step foreword and gave a formal bow.  
  
"You are the one that played in the contrasting frequency?" She questioned in formal tones  
  
"H-hai," Chiriko was slightly intimidated by the formality of the older girl.  
  
"Then I, Miharu Kizuka, Guardian of the seishi, owe you a debt of gratitude. Through your intervention I was able to break Nakago's spell." She straightened and grinned at him.  
  
"Ano..." Chiriko was confused. He had journeyed to the shrine to save the ceremony, but... "I saved a Seiryuu?"  
  
"Hai. He was going to stop the ceremony, but-"  
  
"Ahh!" Miaka shouted. "The fire is still burning! We can still pray!"  
  
All of a sudden everyone was organizing quickly around the fire. Kizuka helped Amiboshi off to the side, then took up her place once again. She doubted that the ceremony would work, because the chi was rapidly burning away, but it was worth a shot. The silence stretched into the distance. Kizuka stared at the fire, hoping against hope. She caught the glimmer long before Miaka's startled gasp, and sighed when she knew it wasn't Suzaku. When Tai Itsukun did appear she sat on the floor and slumped in frustration. They were so close! This had to have been the first time the Guardian had so failed in her duty. She tried to call to Suzaku, to apologize, but the god would not respond. She began to get worried, wondering if the failed ceremony had actually harmed Suzaku. She called frantically in her mind. She didn't even hear the reprimanding that Tai Itsukun gave Miaka. She did, however, notice when the furious Creator turned her attentions to her.  
  
"And you!" Tai Itsukun practically shouted, and Kizuka flinched away from the anger in her chi. "What gave you the right to sacrifice the ceremony to save one of your enemies?"  
  
"You did," She said quietly, and rushed on before Tai Itsukun could comment. "You are the one who gave me this curse; you are the one who charged me with protecting the seishi. He is a seishi. What is the problem?"  
  
"You chose to protect the Suzaku!" This was the angriest she had ever seen Tai Itsukun. "This is a special circumstance. I can only appoint on Guardian at a time, and Seiryuu should not have allowed his seishi to be born. You chose a side and were supposed to protect only it!'  
  
"I never chose!" Kizuka shouted, getting some of her old spirit back. She stood up and glared at Tai Itsukun. "I swore to protect the seishi, and have not been foresworn. I told you, when you asked me to decide, 'Konan would probably be easier to start in.' I never chose conclusively. You assumed I did."  
  
The tension held for a long moment. Finally, Tai Itsukun hmphed and began to turn away. Breathing a sigh of relief, Kizuka grinned recklessly at her. "Maybe you should have Nyan Nyan fix your brain as well as your face, if I could trick you," she said teasingly.  
  
Kizuka quickly dodged away from the descending mallet. She laughed out loud from the confusion in Tai Itsukun's chi.  
  
"You insolent child!" Tai Itsukun scolded, but there was no heat in her voice. "Now leave, I have to talk to Miaka alone."  
  
"Ano...What about the ceremony?" Kizuka was confused. Perhaps she should have been paying more attention.  
  
"Were you not listening to a word I said?" Tai Itsukun was indignant. "I told them of the other method for the ceremony."  
  
"The shinzaho?"  
  
"Hai"  
  
Kizuka thought about it for a moment, then bowed. "Arigato, Tai Itsukun, for giving them a chance to make up for my mistakes."  
  
She grinned and left the shrine, but as soon as she reached the relative privacy of the walkway her smile drained away. What had she done? She collapsed against the railing a little away from the shrine. She had failed to save the ceremony; defended one of the enemy. The seishi didn't trust her, hadn't trusted her from the beginning, Suzaku wasn't talking to her, and even Tai Itsukun was questioning her.  
  
//It's only right, you know. That fool Tai Itsukun made a huge mistake when she chose such a pathetic creature.//  
  
//Be quiet, please.// Kizuka shook her head, as if to dislodge the voice.  
  
//Oh, brilliant,// the voice was dripping with sarcasm, //such an adequate defense of your actions.//  
  
//Please,// she begged. //No more. I have had to defend myself from everyone today. I am tired of fighting. You may have a point, you may be completely right, but I don't care any more.// She put her head in her hands.  
  
"Kizuka?"  
  
She jumped, startled, and turned to find Amiboshi standing behind her. She straightened and pasted a smile on her face. "Hai?"  
  
Amiboshi's voice was tentative. "Why...why did you save me? I could have killed you twice in there."  
  
Kizuka collapsed against the railing again. "Not you too," she said in a despairing tone. She sighed and tried to think of a way to explain it so that he would understand.  
  
Amiboshi watched as she thought to herself. He had never seen her so despairing, not even when he had confronted her about her sight. Kizuka blinked and straightened. He braced himself for her answer.  
  
"The truth is that I saved you because I had to." She produced a small ball of chi. It floated above her hand, glowing a soft pearly white. "This is what I see. On plants, things that once held life. It is also the color of my spells. When it comes to people, it gets a little more complicated." The ball began to swirl with color. "Each color represents and emotion, a state of being. Happiness, joy, despair, innocence, awe, love, hate." The ball settled on a bright red. "This is friendship. A little darker and it could be love, even darker: hate. But for now, it is just friendship. The bonds of friendship between the eight of you were the strongest I had ever seen. It could not have been because of the time you had spent together, because the bonds were just as strong between you and Chichiri as they were between you and Miaka. It could not have been because of loyalty, because the betrayal of Tamahome did not break them, though Tasuki would deny it. I was amazed by the strength of the bonds between you.  
  
"But!" She snapped her fingers and the ball disappeared. "As soon as you raised that flute to your mouth in there, the bonds towards you were gone without a trace, and they were ready to kill you. I had to save you, to hope that, if given the chance, they would forgive you. If, as strong as your bonds were, they were ready to kill you at the first sign of betrayal, what would they do to me, who they show barely any friendship towards, when I fail them?"  
  
There was a gasp, barely heard, from behind her that was all but overshadowed by Amiboshi's question, "Fail? You?" and his snort of disbelief.  
  
"Oh come on Amiboshi! Let's review my illustrious career as a Guardian," she snapped, finally letting her irritation at herself show. "Even with the guidance of Tai Itsukun, Creator of the Universe, it still takes me two months to find the seishi. Two months! And another two weeks before I can even begin my job. At the very first test of my abilities I nearly die, and the next I barely even help, because Hotohori didn't need any help to save Miaka any way. The next time my help is needed, I get shoved aside. So I decide to help Tamahome, and I do die. It takes intervention from the Gods to save me! For all my hiding in the harem, Nakago still knew about me. Two people know my greatest weakness, one who never promised to keep the secret, and one that up until five minutes ago I could not trust not to betray me to save his brother!"  
  
She sank to the floor fisting her hands into the material at her knees. Amiboshi tried to put an arm around her in comfort, but was thrust aside as Kizuka went on. "I am the weakest of my family. My father perfected the easiest training for me, and continued to train me in it long after my brothers and sister had mastered the more difficult routines. I don't know why Tai Itsukun chose me. All I now is that I am tired of fighting and struggling against everyone and I want to go HOME!" She yelled out the last word as she broke down in quiet sobs. It was almost a relief to get it all off of her chest. Amiboshi reached for her again, but she shoved him aside as she stood and face the courtyard, struggling to control the tears.  
  
"Ano...Kizuka?" "Kizu-chan?" The two voices spoke simultaneously, and she stiffened, sensing Miaka and Nuriko coming up behind her. She straightened and painfully swallowed the tears, quickly using her sleeve to wipe her face.  
  
She pasted on a smile as she turned around and said, "Hai?"  
  
Nuriko blinked, a little stunned by the transformation. She was almost as good at hiding emotions as he was! Granted, he had only heard the last half of her rant, but the change from just a few seconds previous was amazing. And didn't look particularly healthy. "Kizuka, we heard the last piece of your worries. Please don't hide from us anymore. Everyone needs someone to support them."  
  
"Demo...I could see you troubles. You all carry so much, I didn't want to burden you with anymore," Kizuka said, a little confused by the warm reception.  
  
"Baka," Nuriko chided gently, "We're seishi. We can take it!" He pulled her into a hug and whispered softly in her ear, "I will keep your secret, I am sorry that I did not promise before." He was rewarded by a true smile, albeit a small one, from Kizuka.  
  
Miaka cleared her throat, and Kizuka shifted her attention to the girl, her expression becoming more guarded. Miaka swallowed, then spoke hesitantly, "I think we got off on the wrong foot." When Kizuka glanced at her feet in puzzlement, she giggled and waved her hands in apology. "No, that's just an expression from my world, which means that I think you got the wrong impression of me. I was too excited, then worried, about Tamahome that I totally ignored you. I was wondering," she paused, uncertain, "could we start over?"  
  
Kizuka blinked. "Start over?"  
  
Miaka giggled and bowed. "Hello, my name is Yuuki Miaka. What's yours?"  
  
Kizuka slowly started to smile at the good humor shinning in yellow waves from the Miko, as well as the red of friendship for both Amiboshi and herself. "I am Miharu Kizuka, and this is Amiboshi," she said, bowing and gesturing to the seishi at her side.  
  
Miaka mimicked her. "This is Nuriko. Can we be friends?"  
  
***  
  
Later that afternoon found Kizuka warming up for some outdoor training. Nuriko had taken back the beautiful outfit that she had worn for the ceremony, and promised that she could borrow clothing at anytime. The sun warmed her face as she slowly went through the movements, calming her heart and allowing her to think. The situation was so different than when she woke up this morning that she needed time by herself to think. She felt Chichiri on the edge of her perception, out on the pond fishing. The slight buzz of the mask spell showed clearly, almost disrupting her concentration. The movements caught her up again, and she found that she could ignore it. Amiboshi was currently attempting to repair the damage to the friendships that the morning's work had caused. She had left him silently helping Mitsukake prepare medicines for the journey ahead. That was a friendship that Kizuka hoped would heal. She was a realist and knew that it would take time, but both the man and the boy needed that support. Thinking of Mitsukake reminded her of the oddity she had seen that morning. She tried to call Suzaku again to get an explanation for the green of his seishi's spell. Suzaku did not respond.  
  
//Suzaku?// Her voice was getting desperate. //I'm sorry Suzaku, but please give me some response. Suzaku!//  
  
The aged voice of Genbu soothed down her nerves. *My sibling still does not wish to speak, for fear of insulting you to soothe his feelings and making the situation worse. However, I am qualified to answer you question.*  
  
Kizuka almost overbalanced with surprise. //Genbu? Why would you be qualified to talk about Suzaku's seishi?//  
  
*Because he is also mine.*  
  
This time she did stumble in the Tai Chi form. She didn't actually fall down, but it was a close thing. When she had gotten back into the routine, she sent an irritated thought upwards. //Care to explain that, Genbu?//  
  
A child's voice cut in. *Oooo. Better explain quick, aniki!!*   
  
//Shut UP, Byakko!// Kizuka shouted.  
  
She heard a sigh from Genbu. *I always forget how impatient mortals can be. Very well. The soul that resides in the Suzaku no seishi Mitsukake was originally mine. He was a traitor. When the summoning ceremony was just barely over, when the seishi were at their most vulnerable, he left the shrine, killed the Guardian outside, and let the army in.*  
  
Kizuka completely abandoned any attempt at keeping the form. Trying to come to terms with the bombshell that Genbu had just tossed in her lap, she stood still in the middle of the field. She could not reconcile the image of the gentle giant that she knew with the traitor the God had described. All of a sudden she was aware of the fact that the buzz from Chichiri's mask was gone. Curious, she wandered over to the pond, and noticed Miaka running off. She heard Chichiri sigh, then he started to replace the mask.  
  
She held up a hand. "Wait!"  
  
Chichiri jumped. He had not felt Kizuka arrive, so focused as he had been on Miaka. He turned his scar away from her and started to put the mask back on again, but was stopped by Kizuka. Curious, he turned to her and said, "Why? Aren't you afraid of the scar?"  
  
Kizuka blinked. She didn't quite know what he was talking about, but said, "I can feel the chi I spell that holds the mask to your face. It's gone now, and it's a little bit calmer. I would like someplace where I can sit and think for a while." She sighed when Chichiri looked confused. "I don't know how to explain it better, but...you feel better this way, without the spell buzz. When you put the mask on, well, it's not much but it's there."  
  
Chichiri gazed down at the mask in his hand. Kizuka hadn't flinched back from the scar like every single other person he had met. She didn't ask questions, or offer platitudes, or even seem to take notice of it. The least he could do after a display like that would be to leave it off while she sat and thought. And yet...he had worn the mask so long. He had only taken it off during deadly serious situations. To do so now, when all he would be doing was sitting and fishing...  
  
As if sensing (or perhaps seeing, he reminded himself) his unease, Kizuka waved her hands in apology. "Never mind, I shouldn't have said anything. Go ahead."  
  
Chichiri nodded, replaced the mask, and returned to his fishing. Kizuka climbed up on the rock and sat next to him, staring into the pond, watching the glow from the fish. There were very few fish, and she wondered if Chichiri would be able to catch anything. Shaking her head to rid herself of the irrelevant thought, she sent her thoughts to the heavens. //OK Genbu. You've given me time to think about it. Just how, exactly, did I end up protecting one of your seishi?//  
  
*You're not. Mitsukake is a Suzaku seishi.* Genbu's aged voice was dry.  
  
//GENBU!!!!//  
  
*Fine,* he said, sighing. *Suzaku told you of spectrum that I had my seishi on? The one that went from shattered hopes to blind optimism?* There was a pause while Kizuka agreed. *When he served me, Mitsukake was known as Hatsui, and he loved the miko, who was the first to accept him as he was. Unfortunately, he was placed more on the shattered hopes end of the spectrum, as the miko chose Naname instead. The rage he felt festered inside, unknown to all. At the very end of the ceremony, Hatsui slipped out, used his seishi power to kill the Guardian with a touch, and let the invading armies inside the shrine. Only through the quick thinking of Hikitsu was the miko saved, though he and two others died in the attempt. I wanted to send Hatsui's soul into oblivion, but Suzaku intervened, claiming the soul in the name of love. He wished to give Hatsui a second chance, and so far it appears to be working.*  
  
Kizuka thought for a long moment, digesting the new information. A sudden thought occurred to her. //Does Mitsukake remember any of this?//  
  
*Not that I am aware of.* Genbu thought for a moment. *He hasn't shown any signs of remembering.*  
  
//We're going to Hokkan, your country, soon...// Kizuka started doubtfully.  
  
There was a pause. *Watch him,* Genbu decided. *I am not certain what regaining his memories will do to him.*  
  
//Great,// she thought to herself. //Another thing to watch out for.// She sighed and slipped off of the rock, then felt a wave of hurt and anger pass behind her. Startled, she looked back, and saw Tamahome storming deeper into the gardens. Curious, she ran up behind him and called out his name.  
  
He whirled on her. "What," he said in a flat monotone.  
  
//Whoa,// she thought, //speaking of things to look out for...// She crossed her arms. "What happened between you and Miaka?"  
  
His colors immediately swirled in surprise. "How did you know it was about Miaka?"  
  
Kizuka rolled her eyes. "I have two older brothers," she stated matter-of-factly, "who had a tendency to confess their problems to me. The only time they got into this mood, the cause was either money or a girl. And since I think you would make a little more noise if money was involved..." She let that thought trail off, and he smiled in momentary humor.  
  
Soon he was sighing again. "I asked her to marry me."  
  
Kizuka blinked, a little surprised at the bluntness of the statement. "That's great!" she said, smiling. "But why are you so sad?"  
  
"Because I didn't finish." His chuckle was bitter. "I asked her to marry me, but she refused."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"She said that she didn't love me," he said, warming to his subject. "That she was only my friend, and anything she might have hinted otherwise was a product of a foolish crush. She actually apologized for leading me on! She-"  
  
"She was lying," Kizuka interrupted quickly. "Though that would explain why she was so sad earlier. She does love you. I can see it." She pointed to her eye significantly.  
  
Tamahome's colors calmed down significantly, then began a slow boil. When it reached a peak she grabbed his arm as he started to stalk off. "Where are you going?"  
  
"To Miaka," he said shortly, "She owes me an explanation."  
  
"Not with that attitude you're not," she exclaimed heatedly. "You need to get rid of some of that anger, because if you go rushing off to her with accusations and demands, you will only hurt things."  
  
"What would you suggest, then, oh honored one?" Tamahome's anger was beginning to be directed at her.  
  
"Fight me," she said, grinning recklessly. "At least I can fight back."  
  
Tamahome shot her and incredulous look and started to walk off again.  
  
"What's this?" Kizuka taunted. "Too scared to hit a woman?"  
  
That did it. Tamahome was back and threw a wild punch in her direction that she ducked easily.  
  
//Are you completely insane?!// the voice sounded panicked. //This is the warrior seishi, trained in hand-to-hand combat!//  
  
//And I am a Miharu,// she bit back quickly. //Now shut up, I am trying to concentrate.//  
  
//We're gonna die!// The voice wailed.  
  
Kizuka ignored that and concentrated on the fight. She retreated slowly, ducking and blocking, aiming for wider ground. Tentatively, she tried a low kick, but he dodged back. They took a short break on either side of the small field by the pond. Both were breathing hard as they gazed at each other, grinning as the sheer joy of the fight pumped in their blood.  
  
At some indeterminate point the combatants resumed, their speed increasing. Punches and kicks were thrown, blocked, and returned. Neither would give an inch, both looking for the slightest weakness.  
  
Kizuka knew that she would have to end this soon, so Tamahome wouldn't have any energy to see Miaka. She sped up the rhythm even more, but Tamahome adapted quickly. Squinting slightly, she deliberately left and opening.  
  
Tamahome saw the opening and lunged for it, but suddenly she wasn't there. He stepped backwards to keep from overbalancing, and his feet were swept out from under him as Kizuka completed her low kick. Before he even hit the ground she was up and sailing over him, landing to kneel on his chest and pin his arms to the ground.  
  
There was a burst of laughter, and for the first time Kizuka realized that she had an audience. She glanced up and saw that Tasuki, Mitsukake, Amiboshi, and Chiriko were on the side of the field, and Chichiri had paused in his fishing. Joy and good humor flowed from all.  
  
Tamahome tried to get up, but Kizuka did not get off. After several failed attempts to remove the smaller girl, he looked over at the still chuckling Tasuki. "Is there something here that you find amusing?" he said with as much dignity as possible.  
  
That set off Tasuki again. "She whooped your ass!" He shouted when he got his breath back. "That tiny little girl whooped your ass!"  
  
Kizuka raised an eyebrow at that. She glanced at Tamahome with an expression that said, 'Shall I teach this punk a lesson?' Receiving a small nod she grinned ferally.  
  
Tasuki didn't know what hit him. One minute he was enjoying a joke at Tamahome's expense, and the nest he was lying flat on his back right next to Tamahome. Kizuka had stood up and shook herself off, then flipped over to him, caught his head with her feet, and flipped back to slam him on the ground. She quickly pinned his arms and sat on his chest. She crossed her arms over her chest and said in a haughty tone, "Don't call me tiny."  
  
At that Tamahome began laughing, but offered Tasuki a hand up as they both limped over to Mitsukake and looked at him with pleading eyes. He actually chuckled and called out to Kizuka, "Any war wounds that need treatment?"  
  
Kizuka winced and rotated her shoulder. "A sore shoulder from a lucky hit, but I'll be fine. You take care of the children."  
  
There were nods and assorted groans, and Mitsukake and Amiboshi led the victims inside. Kizuka smile in true happiness. The bonds of friendship were back, not as strong as before, but the rift between the rest of the seishi and Amiboshi was slowly healing.  
  
"Ano...Kizuka-san?" She looked down to find that Chiriko had some up to her while she was watching the others.  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"Your fighting...that was wonderful!" He grinned up at her. "Could you teach me to fight like that? I know I won't ever be as good as you, but I would like to learn to fight. Before you say anything," he added quickly, "I want you to know that I am not a weak as I look. Just because I am not as strong as some of the others..."  
  
"Wait a minute," Kizuka interrupted. "Who called you weak?"  
  
"N-no one," he said, a bit awed by the fierce expression on her face. "But I'm the youngest, and I don't know how to fight. I'm thirteen years old but I look eight, and the only reason anyone would ever take me seriously is a stupid mark that appears on my foot without any regard to my intention or desire. I can't even control when it appears and disappears!"  
  
"Whoa, slow down Chiriko." Kizuka knelt down and looked directly into Chiriko's face. "You have intelligence, something that I for one am profoundly grateful for. Can you imagine the leadership around here without your smarts? I wouldn't trust my life to the intellectual capabilities of those two idiots that I just threw around. And as for the rest..." There was a burst of surprised chi from behind her, and she grinned. "I have the utmost respect for their capabilities. Especially Chichiri."  
  
Chiriko hid a giggle at Chichiri's expression as he realized that he had been caught sneaking up on them. When he went chibi and began waving his arms around in a random fashion, Chiriko did laugh, and Kizuka's grin softened to a smile.  
  
"Now," she said, getting back to business, "from what I've observed and what you've said, your symbol glows most of the time, right?" Chiriko nodded and began to speak, but Kizuka cut him short with a wave. "Then you don't have much to worry about. If it does fail, then there are six other people well qualified to protect the Miko. What you need to learn is control. And control," she said, rising to her feet, "is something that I have been taught since age three."  
  
Chiriko grinned up at her in gratitude. She knelt down and arranged his feet in a wide stance. "I will start with the Yang form of Tai Chi, because it is the easiest to learn. One of the most important principals of Tai Chi is relaxation. Root you feet firmly in the ground and allow your body to relax so that the slightest puff of wind will move it." She tapped lightly on his shoulder and he look up at her curiously. "OK. Take a deep breath and let it out slowly..."  
  
***  
  
The next morning saw Kizuka accompanying the seishi down to the harbor as the helped ready the ship for transport across the sea. Kizuka saw Amiboshi in earnest discussion with Hotohori, and wondered what they could be talking about. She was about to head over when she was hailed by Tamahome. She waited patiently for him to run over.  
  
"I wanted to thank you," he said breathlessly, "for talking with me yesterday. I really needed it."  
  
She grinned up at him. "So are you thanking me for beating you up? Glad to oblige. Feel free to utilize my services again anytime."  
  
He laughed and started to walk away, but she grabbed his arm. "Seriously," she said. "Did you get to talk with Miaka?"  
  
"Yeah," he grinned wryly. "Seems Tai Itsukun told her that, as a Miko, she had to remain pure until after the ceremony. She took that to mean that we couldn't be together at all, but I convinced her that it was perfectly alright for us to love each other as long as we didn't...well...LOVE each other."  
  
Kizuka blushed. "I am very happy for you both."  
  
"Hey Kizuka, why aren't you married?" Tamahome asked, then winced at the rudeness of the question. "Never mind, you don't have to answer that."  
  
"It's ok. I lived in a rather isolated valley on the northern side of Tai Itsukun's mountain," she explained hurriedly. "When Shinji was born my parents were informed that the time for another Guardian was drawing near. That would be about the time that Chichiri was born. As such we weren't allowed to marry until a Guardian was chosen. Not that we ever had much selection, as the only company we had was a small village a little further down the mountain. I think Rei felt it the hardest, as she is a more social creature, and actually got a job in town to help us cover expenses."  
  
"Maybe we can visit your family when we go north," Tamahome suggested gently, knowing how much he missed his own family.  
  
"No," she said thoughtfully. "From what I understand from Chiriko, our route lies east of my home." She began walking towards Hotohori and Amiboshi, who were finishing up their discussion.  
  
"Wait!" Tamahome jogged a bit to catch up. "You mean to say that your home isn't even on Konan soil?"  
  
"No," she said. "Why do you ask?"  
  
Tamahome just laughed in response, and Kizuka remained puzzled until Hotohori and Amiboshi came over and demanded a reason for the hilarity. Tamahome took Kizuka by the shoulders and thrust her in front of the emperor. "May I present to, heika-sama, the only girl insane enough to remain in your harem for two months without even being your rightful subject?"  
  
"What?" Hotohori glanced at Kizuka, but she rolled her eyes and ducked out of Tamahome's grip. He was still laughing to hard to answer the question.  
  
"Oh shut up and go tease Tasuki," Kizuka exclaimed.  
  
Tamahome gave her a salute and wandered off. Someone grabbed Hotohori's attention and left Kizuka with Amiboshi. She pulled him to the side and asked, "What were you and Hotohori discussing so fiercely back there?"  
  
"Nothing really," he said. "Since he is staying here to defend the country, Hotohori wanted to know what I knew about the Koutu army." He paused. "I didn't know much, really, but I hope I was helpful."  
  
Kizuka nodded and moved to board the ship, but was stopped by his hand.  
  
"I was wondering if you could connect Suboshi and me again." He shrugged. "It feels really weird not having him around."  
  
"Sure," she said. "Why didn't you say something before? After you kept my nightmares away last night, it is the least I can do."  
  
She stood in front of him and placed a hand on his forehead. Slowly, carefully, she traced along the weakened connection between the brothers. This required absolute concentration, and twice she almost lost the thread. She was interrupted by an indescribable scream of terror.  
  
She snapped out of it quickly. Exchanging a glance with Amiboshi that agreed that they would continue this later, they both raced up the gang plank and onto the ship. The sight they were confronted with made them all face fault. The scream was nothing more than the result of Tamahome holding Tasuki over the water. Kizuka rolled her eyes at Amiboshi. "Can we do this this evening? Most of the bond that you shared was a spell created by Nakago, or someone close to him. I need peace and quiet to reconstruct the spell, and I don't think I'll get it here."  
  
Amiboshi nodded, and they joined the others. All of a sudden she heard a snap and a whir, and she looked over at Miaka. The miko took in her confused look and handed her a piece of paper, which Kizuka stared at...well...blindly.  
  
"It's a picture," Miaka explained. "Kind of like a painting, but faster."  
  
"It's very pretty," Nuriko said, and Kizuka turned to find him at her shoulder. "It's a portrait of you and Amiboshi, and it looks very good," he whispered softly to her.  
  
"Arigato, Miaka," Kizuka said to the girl, grateful for Nuriko's explanation.   
  
After they convinced Tasuki that the pictures were perfectly safe, Miaka got several group and single shots. Finally she arranged everyone in one big group and had one of the sailors make ten copies of that picture, so that everyone could have one. Then the group broke up, and Hotohori offered to shelter Tamahome's family in the palace. Nuriko and Miaka left with him, and the rest headed back to the palace to finish the preparations for the journey.  
  
***  
  
"Ahhh! I'm soooo tired!" Kizuka exclaimed, flopping into a chair. It was nearing sunset, and the group was gathered in the room, basically resting before supper. They had worked hard all afternoon, and now only awaited the return of Tamahome and his family to be ready to leave.  
  
"Not too tired, I hope," Amiboshi tossed out from his position on the floor. "You still have to remake the connection with my brother, remember?"  
  
Kizuka groaned and pointed a finger at the Seiryuu. "You are going to be the death of me, Amiboshi." No one mentioned that just yesterday he nearly was the death of her.  
  
She got up to kneel next to Amiboshi, but just as she was about to put her hand on his forehead she felt a tweak on one of the chi strings. She paused and looked out the door towards the East.  
  
The grin faded from Amiboshi's face at the look of concern on Kizuka's. He sat up as Kizuka stumbled to her feet. "Kizuka?"  
  
She silenced him with a wave and took a few steps toward the door. "Something's not right."  
  
All of a sudden the emotions hit her like a storm. Shock. Pain. Horror. Sadness. Grief. Despair. Anger. All hit her from three sides as she dropped to her knees with a cry. Not wasting a moment, she dove into the missing seishi's chi strings. She went so far that she could see exactly what Tamahome saw. The children! Their butchered bodies lay scattered over the hut. The was blood everywhere. She barely acknowledged Miaka and Nuriko's presence behind her as her vision focused on the youngest one, the only one left alive. She drew back a bit to be able to see with her own eyes, so didn't hear what Tamahome said, but she felt his despair as the glow that she knew to be his sister faded out. She began to get angry, no, furious at the one responsible for this. She saw red as the house collapsed around her and she confronted the Seiryuu responsible for this outrage.  
  
Suddenly her world shook and turned black. It didn't matter. When her vision cleared the Seiryuu was still there, his chi swirling with confusion and fear. Good. He should be afraid. He would be punished.  
  
Kizuka had caught the attention of the entire room with her statement and subsequent cry. Amiboshi ran over to kneel in front of her, and exchanged a terrified look with Mitsukake and Hotohori, who had come up behind her. He gently lifted her face, but her eyes would not focus on him. He shook her slightly, confused and afraid.  
  
Suddenly her eyes snapped over to focus on him, and her face twisted in hatred. He backed away as she stood up. He glanced at the seishi behind her. "Wh-what's going on?"  
  
"They're dead." That chilling statement came from Kizuka. "They're all dead."  
  
She raised her arms in an aggressive stance. "And shortly," she said calmly as she began to glow with a pearly white light. "You will be too."  
  
********************************  
  
Author's note: Idea for Mitsukake's magic was from Quicksilver in her story "Things long past". She is an excellent author and one you should read! I had no guesses on the bonus points from last time, so here is the answer. I quoted from Pride and Prejudice when I said, "the selfish disdain for the feelings of others" at the beginning of the last chapter. It is a quote from the first time Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, but that is really trivial information. The one for this chapter, from Star Trek, is a little easier. I'll give you a hint: I quoted from Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock. Let's have some guesses this time!  
  
Questions? Tell me in a review and I will answer them in an email (if you leave one). If more than one person asks the same question, I will post the question and answer at the top of the next chapter.  
  
Translators note: I am too tired to try and find all the Japanese words I used. If you have a question about any of them, see above note.  
  
And now...  
  
Seeing Beyond the Akugi!  
  
Wingsong narrates: Kizuka began to feel better under the healing grace of Mitsukake. She squinted her eyes into slits to thank him, and frowned. The healing spell was the green of Genbu, not the red of Suzaku. His seishi mark was still red, but the chi coming out of his hand was definitely green.   
  
Kizuka: (singing) It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...  
  
Everyone else: ... 


End file.
